


Threading My Path To You

by DimensionTripperHomura



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2018-08-19
Packaged: 2019-05-02 19:16:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 110,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14551572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DimensionTripperHomura/pseuds/DimensionTripperHomura
Summary: After a painful breakup Kotori rediscovers her old bonds and long forgotten attraction toward two of her fellow Muse members. While working through her own issues and helping Nico and Maki through theirs, Kotori will soon have to make a choice. Warning: The ships do change halfway through the fic.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Warning(s): Sexual scenes (possibly), swearing. 
> 
> A/N: Hope you guys enjoy! As always feel free to let me know what you think, it would be super appreciated!

Kotori stared pensively into her shochu highball, watching as the bubbles of carbonation floated to the top of her drink. She sighed softly, her cheek resting against her fist as she stared down into her drink.  It felt odd, not having to be rushing around to meet deadlines or working. She wasn’t sure ‘taking it easy’ as her ex would have put it, was the life for her. She liked to be busy. After the breakup though she’d figured it wouldn’t hurt to try something else.    
  
“You gonna stare into that drink all day or actually drink it?”   
  
“I’m not sure yet.” Kotori answered dryly, not recognizing the voice in her slightly tipsy state. She’d already had a few drinks. Probably more than she should but she figured it was fine. Now that she’d opted to freelance for a while she didn’t have to worry about how she would feel the next day. For once she had the freedom to do what she wanted.    
  
Kotori felt movement at her side as the person standing next to her sat down at the bar next to her. She let out a slight sigh in response. It seemed that sitting at the bar hadn’t been the best idea when she just wanted to be left alone with her thoughts.    
  
“You sure look like you need some company.”   
  
For the first time Kotori looked toward the woman sitting next to her. She was wearing sunglasses, obscuring her eyes but Kotori noticing instantly that she was pretty. More than pretty really. She seemed dressed up too. Much too dressed up. “I don’t have any money.”   
  
“Huh?”   
  
“You’re looking for cash, right?” Kotori asked, narrowing her eyes at the dark haired woman. “We are in a maid bar…”   
  
“SERIOUSLY KOTORI?!”   
  
“Wha…?” Kotori flinched as the other woman uttered her name. “H-How do you know my name?!”   
  
“You birdbrain.” The dark haired woman pushed her glasses up to the top of her head.    
  
Kotori was surprised to find ruby eyes glaring back at her. She took out her phone and flicked to an article she had saved in her favourites. Holding her phone up she looked between the picture and the woman. “Ah, Nico-chan…”   
  
Nico huffed out a sigh. “Are you seriously comparing my picture?!”   
  
“Your chest got bigger.” Kotori remarked as she put her phone back into her jacket pocket. “I almost didn’t recognize you.”   
  
“You didn’t recognize me. And REALLY?!” Nico watched, dumbfounded as Kotori turned back to her drink. “What kind of reaction is this?!”   
  
“I’m a little dizzy.” Kotori complained, her brow furrowing. She hadn’t realized it before but the room seemed to be spinning a little bit.    
  
Nico slapped her hand to her forehead, wondering why she hadn’t realized it before. Kotori had always been a clueless drunk. “Come on. I’ll call you a taxi.”   
  
“I’m fine.”   
  
“You’re drunk.”   
  
Kotori sighed in response. “Well I live nearby…”   
  
“Then I’ll walk you home.”   
  
“I don’t allow strangers into my apartment.” Kotori slid off her stool nonetheless, picking up her drink.    
  
“You are so weird when you drink.” Nico remarked, looked down at the glass in Kotori’s hand.    
  
“Umi-chan says that too.” Kotori muttered before she quickly downed the drink. She didn’t want to waste it after all. She was sure she must have paid for it at some point though she couldn’t remember doing so.    
  
Nico took the empty glass from Kotori’s hand and set it aside. “Do you need me to…?” She trailed off as Kotori walked ahead of her, not wobbling at all. She seemed to be perfectly steady. Nico raised an eyebrow and followed, wondering when Kotori had gained such a tolerance for drinking. She remembered that Kotori had started drinking when she turned eighteen. Not regularly but she’d always managed to stay somewhat steady and relatively normal, aside from a boost in confidence at times. Not that Kotori had ever really needed it. She just tended to be a lot more decisive and forward when she was drunk.    
  
Kotori paused a few feet from the bar and turned to watch Nico run toward her. She noticed the wobble at her ankle and moved forward just as Nico stumbled. She caught Nico just in time, an arm wrapping around the woman’s waist while she clutched Nico’s arm with her other hand. She breathed a sigh of relief at the fact that she’d been fast enough. “You shouldn’t run in four inch heels, Nico-chan. You’ll break them.”   
  
“R-Right.” Nico stuttered nervously, her cheeks reddening slightly at their sudden close proximity.

  
Kotori let go of Nico and pulled her keys out of her pocket. “Told you I live near.”   
  
Dumbfounded, Nico followed Kotori into the ground floor apartment and slipped off her shoes.    
  
“I’ll make some tea.” Kotori said with a small smile as Nico looked toward her. “I’m sorry about earlier. I really didn’t recognize you. But I did recognize your stunning outfit.”   
  
“That you thought was something a whore would wear.” Nico remarked, following Kotori through to the kitchen. She glanced around, noticing it was well decorated and a decent size. She vaguely wondered if Kotori lived there alone.    
  
Kotori cringed at the comment. “No, just an escort.”   
  
“That’s still pretty bad.” Nico commented as she watched Kotori start to make some tea.    
  
“You’d be surprised by how much escorts make. Some always go to personal designers.” Kotori advised with a shrug of her shoulders.    
  
“Don’t tell me you’re…”   
  
Kotori glanced over her shoulder. “No. But some of my bosses in America did. When I was still going for my masters for FIT.”   
  
“Right…” Nico relaxed a little and watched pensive as Kotori turned away from her.    
  
“Haven’t you met any French escorts?”   
  
“No.” Nico frowned at Kotori’s back. “Is that the only thing on your mind?”   
  
“Well some models I’ve met have done it…”   
  
“Okay, back up. Get your mind out of the damn escort topic.”   
  
Kotori gigled. She felt a lot better than she had since the breakup with her boyfriend. She always enjoyed Nico’s hot temper. “Testy, testy. That’s no way for a model to act.”   
  
Nico rolled her eyes. “Yeah well I’m the one who makes Kei money so I act how I want.”   
  
“The fashion world is interesting, huh?”   
  
Nico walked away a few steps to sit down at the table. “What are you doing now?”   
  
“Freelancing until I find a secured brand to work for. I just quit my old job because...well it’s complicated. But anyway, right now I’m trying to get used to freelancing. Having more time on my hands, working from home…”   
  
Nico nodded as Kotori trailed off, seemingly into her own thoughts. “It’s been a long time since we last talked, huh?”   
  
“Yeah, you could say that.” Kotori picked up the tray, taking it over to the table. She sat down next to Nico but made no effort to drink her own tea. She was certain she’d done enough drinking for the day. “It’s been a few years since we last had a reunion with the rest of Muse.”   
  
She still spoke to Honoka and Umi on a regular basis and met up with them at least once a month when they were all available. As an extension she also spoke to and met up with Eli and Nozomi quite often, considering Nozomi was dating Eli and Umi was dating Honoka. The rest of Muse though she tended to only speak to very rarely. She couldn’t remember how long it had been since she’d spoken to Rin, Maki and Hanayo. Over a year she was sure.    
  
“Kotori. Kotori!”    
  
Kotori flinched as a hand waved in front of her face. She shook her head and blinked at Nico. “Huh?”   
  
“You zoned out. I was asking if you changed your phone number or something.” Nico repeated slowly. “I haven’t been able to call you in a while. Neither have Rin, Maki and Hanayo.”   
  
Kotori vaguely wondering if Nico had known what she was thinking. “Oh right. No, I don’t think so. Um...how are they anyway?”   
  
Nico shrugged her shoulders. “They’re okay. There’s not much to tell. Maki’s still an intern.”   
  
“Right.” Kotori nodded vaguely in response.    
  
“She’s dating Hanayo’s boyfriend’s sister now.” Nico continued thoughtfully, remembering what Maki had told her a few weeks ago. “It seems to be going okay.”   
  
Kotori smirked and shook her head. It sounded like it could get messy but she wasn’t about to point that out. “At least she’s happy. Hanayo too, right?”   
  
“Yeah. And Rin.”   
  
“That’s good.” Kotori said with a small smile. She was glad that they were happy at least. Her friends being happy meant a lot to her. “What about Nico-chan? Are you dating anyone?”   
  
Nico’s eyes widened at the sudden question. “Me? Oh um...that’s a long story. Complicated. Are you?”   
  
Kotori’s smile dimmed at the question and she lowered her eyes. “I was. It’s complicated.”   
  
Nico frowned at the saddened look on Kotori’s face. She hadn’t meant to put it there. “Hey, seeing as this is kind of a reunion for us why don’t I treat you to dinner later? It’s on me.”   
  
Kotori stared blankly at Nico. “It’s ten at night Nico-chan.”   
  
“Well...I could order something!”   
  
“I’m not hungry.”   
  
Nico sighed. “Well if you’re not hungry right now I’ll take you out to breakfast tomorrow morning. My treat. If...you let me crash on your couch. I live across town.”   
  
Kotori shook her head. “I have three bedrooms, you can sleep in one of the two spare rooms. And...breakfast would be nice.”   
  
Nico brightened at the response. “Do you mind if I use your shower before I go to bed?”   
  
“Sure.” Kotori stood up from her seat and stretched her arms above her head. “I’m going to bed early though. If you want to eat there should be something in the fridge. Take whatever you need.”   
  
“Right…” Nico watched as Kotori walked away from her, heading for the living room. “Kotori!” She waited until Kotori turned to face her before she cleared her throat. “Why do you have three bedrooms?”   
  
“Why?” Kotori echoed in confusion. “I just do. One of them was a study before my...a-anyway that room doesn’t have a bed in it, it’s just empty now. The other room is for when Umi-chan and Honoka-chan stay over. Goodnight, Nico-chan. I’ll put some clothes in the bathroom for you.”   
  
“Goodnight…” Nico watched as Kotori disappeared from her line of sight. She leaned back in her seat, drinking the rest of her tea as she listened to Kotori wandering around for a few minutes. Finally everything fell silent and Nico cleared up the dishes before she made her way through the living room and down the hallway. She paused outside an empty room, noticing a desk in the middle of it. She pushed the door open and winced as it creaked. She didn’t turn the light on as she walked into the room.    
  
She noticed a picture on the desk and walked toward it, picking it up. It was covered with a light sheen of dust which she wiped away. The picture showed Kotori with a brown haired male, smiling at the camera. She barely had time to take in the way their hands were clasped before the door creaked behind her and her heart seized in her chest. She quickly set the photo down and turned around. Seeing nobody at the door she hurried out of the room, deciding to shower before going to bed.    
  
\-----   
  
Kotori yawned as she made her way into the kitchen, her eyes half-lidded. She felt like she hadn’t gotten a bit of sleep despite how early she had gone to bed and how late she had woken. She faltered at the sight of someone in her kitchen though she quickly remembered that Nico had stayed over the previous night. She shook her head, noticing that Nico was wearing an apron over a pair of shorts and a  t-shirt she had borrowed from Kotori. It was clear that the shorts had been rolled up slightly because of their height difference.    
  
“Please tell me you’re not cooking.” Kotori drawled as she made her way to the table and sank down at it. She supposed it was a good thing she didn’t have to worry about waking up early to go to work otherwise she would have been late  _ and _ in no condition to actually work.    
  
Nico glanced over her shoulder, raising an eyebrow. “Just something light. You need to line your stomach.”   
  
Kotori groaned, lowering her head to her arms, folded on the table. “Did I really talk about escorts last night?”   
  
“You sure did. Pissed me off too.”   
  
“Sorry…”   
  
“It’s fine.” Nico said after a moment. She shook her head and turned her attention back to the eggs she was cooking. “I kind of like it when you’re honest.”   
  
“Umi-chan called me a bitch once when I was...under the influence.” Kotori said with a wince. She was sure she only remembered that because it had come as such a shock to her. Umi had been drunk at the time too.    
  
“Well you certainly can be. Really, an escort?”   
  
Kotori sighed. “You were wearing a short dress.”   
  
“FASHION SHOOT!” Nico took the eggs from the heat and spooned them onto two plates. “It was for evening party wear…”   
  
“Still, you gave me one hell of a view of your legs.”    
  
“Kotori.” Nico fixed Kotori with a disapproving look as she made her way to the table, plates in hand.    
  
Kotori took that as her cue to sit up straight. “Hey, all of you know I swing both ways, Nico-chan.”   
  
Nico rolled her eyes in response and took her own seat near Kotori. “Eat your food, it’ll make you feel better.”   
  
Kotori glanced down at the food on her plate. “Usually I just pick up a smoothie and it helps.”   
  
“Well you don’t need to because I cooked for you. Eat.” Nico picked up her own food and turned her attention to her food.    
  
Kotori stared at Nico for a minute before she spoke up. “Go on a date with me.”   
  
Nico choked on her food. “W-WHAT!?” She spluttered.    
  
“Go on a date with me.” Kotori’s voice quietened, her confidence fading at Nico’s surprise. “It could be fun, right?”   
  
Nico bit her lip as she met Kotori’s eyes. She couldn’t help but wonder if Kotori just wanted to get over the guy she had been dating. “I’m not a rebound…”   
  
“I didn’t mean it like that.”   
  
“Ask me when you’re serious then.”   
  
Kotori felt her confidence return slightly. “Wait so you’ll think about it?”   
  
Nico nodded her head. “I’m not exactly straight either, Kotori, so yeah…”   
  
She watched as Kotori nodded to herself and picked up her fork, beginning to eat the eggs she had made with a new motivation. “Hey, don’t go thinking I’ll accept it. I said ASK me when you’re serious. Like really serious.”   
  
Kotori frowned at the comment and tilted her head. “Could I at least have you model for me if you don’t want to go on a date with me?”   
  
“Huh?!”   
  
“I have some outfits I need someone to try out. And I don’t exactly want to ask Honoka-chan and Umi-chan seeing as both of them are just as busy as me since graduating college.”   
  
“Fine. It is my job after all.”   
  
“Great! Let me get your measurements after breakfast!” Kotori exclaimed in a chipper tone. “I have your old ones but they’re from high school. And you...certainly grew in some areas.”   
  
Nico narrowed her eyes. “You better not be perverted with that damn measurement tape!”   
  
“Hey, I’m a professional, Nico-chan!”   
  
Nico sighed and rolled her eyes. “Whatever…”   
  
Kotori frowned and stood up abruptly from the table.    
  
“Where are you going?” Nico asked in surprise.    
  
“My workshop. You coming or not?” Kotori asked. She glanced at her plate deciding to clean up a bit later when they got back - or rather when she got back. She assumed that Nico would be leaving rather than going back to her apartment with her. “It’s a couple of blocks.”   
  
Nico hesitated before she stood up from the table. “Yeah, I’m coming. Just let me change first. Do you have anything I could borrow?”   
  
“Sure. I need to change too, come on.”   
  
\-----

 

Kotori glanced to her left as Nico walked along next to her. She’d had to pin up the shorts she had given the girl and the button down she’d given to Nico was rolled up a little. Unfortunately she didn’t have Nico’s size in shoes so the young woman had had to wear her four inch heels again. Still, with her hair in a high ponytail, Nico looked good.    
  
Kotori herself had dressed herself in a simple grey pencil skirt and a light green sweater over a white button down shirt, her hair pulled up into a messy bun.    
  
As they walked along Nico noticed that Kotori’s purse was full of pens, paper and a notebook. She squinted her eyes, trying to get a better view of the paper that flapped against the notebook inside of the purse. She could just about make out a figure design with a stylish outfit drawn too. She had seen designer’s sketches before, enough to recognize them for what they were but she had never seen them so up close and personal before. She vaguely wondered if some of those designs would be what she’d be trying on.    
  
“Did you have to take drawing classes?” She finally asked.    
  
“Figure and life drawing, yes.” Kotori answered, casting a sidelong look at Nico. “In my field we have to be very...personal with the human anatomy. We make clothes, Nico-chan so our figures have to be almost perfect in every sketch for the clothing designs.”   
  
Nico nodded before something occurred to her. “Wait, isn’t life drawing with...nude models?”   
  
“Like I said, personal.” Kotori said with a smirk. “Want me to draw you in the nude?”   
  
“N-NO!” Nico exclaimed immediately, her cheeks flushing slightly. She was sure her body didn’t deserve that much attention, not like her ex, Adele.     
  
“Don’t be so modest, Nico-chan. Your body would be exciting to draw. You have such a slim and delicate figure. An angelic beauty most designers would say.”   
  
Nico looked down, her face scarlet.    
  
Kotori’s smile faded as she notice. “D-Did I say something wrong? I’m not trying to hit on you, I’m just being honest! I’m trying to be more...open about my passion. I’m just kind of glad I have a friend who’s also in this world, you know? It was getting...kinda lonely.”   
  
Nico looked up to see Kotori fidgeting. She knew Kotori had always had a problem with being decisive and honest about her own thoughts. “No, it’s fine. I guess I just...never thought about it like that. An angelic beauty, huh?”   
  
“Y-Yes. Um…”   
  
Nico paused, causing Kotori to stop with her. She took a deep breath and hugged Kotori. “Thanks. Now let’s start the personal fashion show. I want to see your pieces.”   
  
Kotori perked up at that as Nico drew back. “Really? It’s just that building!”   
  
Nico let Kotori grab her hand and tug her to a building a little way down the road. She didn’t pay much attention as they entered and Kotori led her through what seemed to be an empty main entrance to a spacious back room. “Wow…” She mused, impressed by the size of Kotori’s ‘workshop’.    
  
She glanced around, noticing mannequins with clothes on them, a curtain at the back for models, she assumed and a makeup station to the side. “So this is where you do your magic, huh?”   
  
“Y-Yes. So about your measurements.”   
  
Nico turned to see Kotori holding a measuring tape, a bobby pin in her mouth and a thimble on her finger. Nico blushed, noticing how adorable Kotori looked. “Wait…” She said, noticing something else. “You wear glasses?”   
  
Kotori nodded and pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose with two fingers. “For reading and sewing. My eyes have ended up strained through the years. Turns out I’m farsighted.”   
  
“Cute…” Nico mumbled under her breath. It was becoming apparent that Kotori was just as adorable as she had been in high school.   
  
“C-Cute?” Kotori asked in surprise. She smiled softly at the compliment. “My boyfriend used to say I looked adorkable in them. Nerdy too…”   
  
“He’s right about that.”   
  
“Which part?” Kotori challenged even as her smile dimmed a little at the thought of her ex.    
  
“Both.” Nico whispered. She glanced away only to look up as a hand came to rest on her shoulder. She wordlessly let Kotori guide her back to a pedestal.   
  
“Up you go, Nico-chan.” Kotori watched as Nico stepped onto the pedestal. “Arms out.”   
  
Nico smirked before reaching her arms forward. “Like this?”   
  
Kotori huffed in response. “You know what I mean.”   
  
Nico chuckled and pulled her arms out to either side as she’d been instructed to a moment ago. She stood as still as she could as Kotori carefully wrapped the measuring tape around her waist, muttering something to herself before she made a note in the pad she had placed near Nico’s feet.    
  
“I have to do this a few times.” Kotori mentioned quietly as she straightened up again.    
  
“That’s fine.” Nico said, giving Kotori a nod to go ahead. She’d been measured before in a similar way but with Kotori it felt different. Somehow with just the two of them there it felt more intimate. She wondered if that was why she felt herself twitch every time Kotori’s fingers accidentally brushed against her. She gritted her teeth, trying to stay as still as possible as Kotori measure her hips and midriff.    
  
Kotori noticed her hands shaking as she took Nico’s high hip measurements. She couldn’t help but notice that Nico had a nice body from the swell of her breasts to the curve of her butt. It wasn’t something she would ever really notice with the other models she had taken measurements from.    
  
Taking a deep breath she stood up after writing down the measurement. “I just need to measure your bust too and then we should be done. Well almost.”   
  
Nico met Kotori’s eyes, noticing she looked a but anxious. She had to admit that she felt the same way though she wasn’t entirely sure why. “R-Right. Go ahead.”   
  
“Thanks.” Kotori muttered, reaching around Nico. She felt her cheeks warm as her fingers brushed accidentally against Nico’s chest. She hoped Nico didn’t think it had been intentional. She didn’t meet Nico’s eyes as she carefully took the measurement.    
  
Nico swallowed thickly, her eyes glued to Kotori’s face. She noticed strands of hair falling from Kotori’s loose bun, one curving around Kotori’s cheek. Se noticed Kotori’s glasses slipping and took notice of the fact that the Ray-Ban glasses had thick green square frames.    
  
She felt her heart beating rapidly against her chest at how cute and natural Kotori looked. She vaguely wondered if Kotori could feel the fast pounding of her heart against her hand. Hesitant golden eyes flickered up to her own and Nico noticed how close they were. Too close for a designer and model to be.    
  
Kotori’s knuckled brushed against Nico’s left breast and up slightly and she felt a steady pounding against her hand. Her eyes widened slightly.    
  
“Um…” Nico’s voice cracked slightly and she cleared her throat. “A-Are you done?”   
  
“What?” Kotori asked oblivious to her actions. When Nico nodded down at her hand she blushed brightly. “Oh, right! Yes. Yeah, I’m done. Sorry! I just wasn’t sure if I um...had the right measurements.”   
  
Quickly she turned away from Nico. “I-If you could please change into one of the outfits behind the curtain…”   
  
“Right, okay. Nico-chan, super model is on the case!”   
  
Kotori blushed. That was actually very effective in somehow making Nico even cuter than she already was.    
  
Nico went behind the curtain and looked over the outfits waiting for her. There was a white sundress, she noticed, with a floral pattern of yellow roses as well as a more punk outfit, kind of like an outfit she had worn once when she was in Muse but instead of a plaid fringe skirt Kotori had laid out a silk black skirt, the top a button down short sleeved blouse and a black tie around it as well as a black quarter sleeved jacket. She noticed a red, strapless evening gown out of the corner of her eye too. They all looked so different but so beautiful. Kotori clearly had a natural talent.    
  
She settled on the punk outfit and quickly change into it, wary of keeping Kotori waiting for too long. She took a moment though, once she was changed to look herself over in the full length mirror against the wall. The skirt was a bit loose as was the shirt. She noticed it seemed that the outfit was supposed to fit Kotori’s size. She figured Kotori must have modeled the clothes on herself.    
  
She let her hair down from her ponytail and carefully put it back up into pigtails. Nodding to herself, she walked out from behind the curtain and returned to Kotori who was thumbing through her notebook.    
  
“So what do you think?”   
  
Kotori looked up, her face turning red. “U-Uh…” She let her eyes wander to the skirt Nico was wearing and bit her lip as she noticed it had begun to slip, giving her a glimpse of lacy black panties. “I-I need to fit you!”   
  
Nico smirked as Kotori quickly closed her notebook.    
  
Kotori approached, noticing Nico’s hair. “I haven’t seen you wear twintails in so long…”   
  
Nico smiled and shrugged her shoulders. “I felt like being nostalgic. This outfit...reminds me of it.”   
  
“The one we wore for the encore after winning love live.” Kotori finished knowingly before she went down to her knees.    
  
Nico was about to reply but instead she yelped. She bit her lip trying not to let out a moan as cool hand slid up her hips to her waist. She watched as Kotori finally took the pin from between her lips and clipped the bunched up fabric of the skirt together before she began to sew it up.    
  
“I’m going to have to cut it if I’m not careful.” Kotori murmured to herself as she carefully sewed the skirt, her brow furrowed in concentration.    
  
Nico nodded in response, staying as still as possible so as not to jolt Kotori. She took a deep, calming breath as fingers brushed lightly against her skin. Looking down she noticed that Kotori was completely engrossed in sewing.    
  
“Why are you even wearing such expensive undergarments?” Kotori asked rather bluntly.    
  
Nico blushed heavily. “It’s not like I was planning to get laid. I just feel comfortable in them.”   
  
Kotori looked up, raising an eyebrow. “You sure are weird, Nico-chan.”   
  
“Shut up! A model has to wear expensive stuff.”   
  
“I do have a lingerie line I could use help wi-”   
  
“I’m only helping you with this one, perv.”   
  
“I’m no such thing.” Kotori smiled, looking up. “I am after all at your service. You are my customer.”   
  
Nico bit her lip. She really liked how that sounded. Or maybe it was the fact that Kotori was on her knees. She looked away. She should NOT be thinking of her friend like that. She’d only just broken up with someone in the fashion world. She didn’t need to go for someone else, let alone an aspiring designer who would clearly one day make the world hers. Kotori’s dreams were too big to mess around with a model like her. Besides the poor woman had clearly also just suffered through a breakup.    
  
“Nico-chan.”   
  
Nico looked down at the sound of her name.    
  
“Thank you. For helping me.” Kotori said quietly as Nico’s eyes met her own.    
  
Nico shook her head. “You’re gonna make the world yours someday. I have to be a part of it somehow.”   
  
“You really think so?”   
  
“By the time you’re thirty I’ll be modelling your hit line. So yes. I’m SURE.”   
  
Kotori felt the pins she’d been holding in her mouth fall from her trembling lips. She stopped what she was doing and got up to hug the model tightly. Nico’s words were so meaningful and meant a lot to her. She’d learned through the years that not everyone would be so kind about her work. “Thank you, Nico-chan.”   
  
Nico smiled softly at Kotori’s gratitude and hugged her back.     
  
\----   
  
Nico had elected to go back to Kotori’s apartment with her, using the excuse that she needed to pick up her clothes, left there the previous night. Truthfully she didn’t want to leave Kotori’s side just yet. It had been nice to catch up with her and Nico felt more carefree than she had in a while. That was until she noticed the young male sitting on Kotori’s doorstep. She recognized him from the picture in the spare room of the house.   
  
“Toshiro.” Kotori ground to a halt a few steps away from the door. “W-What are you doing here?”   
  
“Um…” The brown haired male got to his feet at the sight of Kotori. “I left a few of my things in the...well the spare room. Do you mind if I um...just pick it up? I thought I’d taken everything when I left but I guess not.”   
  
“Right, right. Um...oh, this is Nico-chan. One of my best friends from...high school. She’s a year older than me.”   
  
“Oh.” Toshiro glanced at Nico in surprise. “Older? She looks...younger.”   
  
“No, no. Don’t say that.” Kotori said hurriedly, grasping Nico’s wrist. She watched as Nico twitched. “He didn’t mean that.”   
  
“How young?” Nico asked pointedly.    
  
“Um...maybe nineteen?” Toshiro asked sheepishly.    
  
“She’s twenty seven!” Kotori exclaimed hurriedly.    
  
“Oh. Sorry.” Toshiro said apologetically. “Um, Kotori. Do you mind if I get my things from the room? I don’t want to get in your way, especially if you have guests over.”   
  
“Huh? Oh. R-Right, sure.” Kotori stepped past her ex and unlocked the door, letting him in. “You can go ahead and take whatever you need.”   
  
“Thanks.” Toshiro glanced at Nico once more before he left for the spare room leaving Nico and Kotori standing alone.    
  
“At least he’s cute.” Nico said softly, noticing Kotori looked a lot less happy than she had ten minutes before.    
  
Kotori forced a smile to her lips and nodded her head. “If you wanna get your stuff together so you can leave I can sort this out…”   
  
“Hell no, I’m not going anywhere.” Nico said without hesitation. “Listen, why don’t we go out after he leaves? My treat?”   
  
“Well I-I have to get things done.”   
  
“You need to loosen up! Come on Kotori, let me be your friend.” Nico argued stubbornly. “Let’s go to the arcade or even the park. Hell even the ice rink if you want.”   
  
“Ice rink...it’s spring, Nico-chan.”   
  
“The INDOOR one.” Nico said with a roll of her eyes. “Come on, it’ll be fu-”   
  
“Don’t you have to go to work though?”   
  
“No, I’m on a break. Kei told me I’ve been juggling too much. The shoot I had last night was my last for a month.”   
  
“We’re both workaholics, huh?” Kotori sighed heavily.    
  
“So we may as well stick together and learn to have fun again!”   
  
“How about karaoke?” Kotori asked timidly.    
  
“I haven’t done that in so long!” Nico exclaimed giddily. “Let’s totally do it! Did you know France’s karaoke bars are so lame?”   
  
Kotori shook her head. She was about to answer when she heard someone clear their throat. She looked up in time to see Toshiro standing there with a small box in his arms. “Hey. Did you get everything?”   
  
“Yeah. Yeah, I have everything. Just a couple of parts for my PC, you know?” Toshiro asked with a small smile as he nodded down to the box. “I figured you wouldn’t want them in your way.”   
  
“I didn’t notice…” Kotori said quietly, biting the inside of her cheek. “I haven’t been in there. It was your...it wasn’t…”   
  
Nico noticed Kotori getting tongue tied and stepped closer to her in silent support.    
  
Kotori took a deep breath. “Um...why didn’t you just use your keys to get in? You still have them.”   
  
“Well that would be pretty rude. Oh actually…” Toshiro adjusted the box in his hands and reached into his pockets to get the keys only for something to slid out of the box onto the floor. “Ah, damn it.”   
  
Kotori looked down at the photo frame on the ground. It had landed unscathed though that wasn’t what bothered her. “You’re taking that?”   
  
“Huh? Oh. Yeah. I mean it’s...mine.” Toshiro said with a slight grimace. He bent to put the box down and put the photograph of himself and Kotori back into the box. “Unless you don’t want me to have it? It’s just...memories, you know?”   
  
“Yeah.” Kotori’s voice shook. “Yeah, I know.”   
  
Toshiro frowned, a guilty look on his face. “So um, the keys…”   
  
“Kotori.” Nico lay a gentle hand on Kotori’s shoulder, noticing she was trembling. “Can you go and um...check my dress is dry? I’ll show him out.”   
  
Kotori glanced at Nico, her eyes watery and quickly nodded.    
  
Toshiro watched as Kotori left before he looked back to Nico. “You’re her, right? The model friend?”   
  
Nico frowned. “How do you know?”   
  
“She has your photos in your phone. And she follows you on twitter. At first I figured she did it for a lot of models but...it’s just you. She collects your magazines too.”   
  
“Oh…” Nico wasn’t sure what to say to that. She felt her cheeks flush and she reached up, awkwardly playing with her hair, a habit she seemed to have gotten from spending too much time with Maki. Shockingly the redhead was her go to when it came to relationships.    
  
“Can I ask you something?”    
  
“Me?” Nico asked in surprise.    
  
“Yeah, you.” Toshiro answered with a slight smile as Nico pointed to herself. “Well I just...I just wanted to say I hope you can get her out of that workshop as much as possible. Kotori needs someone to bring her out once in a while.”   
  
“Right. I can do that.” Nico nodded confidently. She would do anything she could to make Kotori feel better. She hated seeing the look she’d just seen on Kotori’s face.    
  
“Thanks.” Toshiro stepped forward and handed Nico his keys. “Tell Kotori, I...I…” He looked away for a moment, his jaw clenching. “Well she knows.”   
  
“You still love her.” Nico said, her words almost accusing yet still softly spoken. “You should know we’re both in the same situation. Me and Kotori. I just broke up with my partner in France because I was too busy with my career. Even though we were both in the same gig.”   
  
“Oh…”   
  
“I’ll tell her what you said.”    
  
“You don’t have to.” Toshiro said, his hand falling back to his side when Nico took the keys. He backed up to carefully pick up the box of his stuff. “You probably shouldn’t.”   
  
“She’ll want to know.” Nico said knowingly, shaking her head.    
  
“Right.” The young male took a deep breath and resolutely nodded her head. “You know, I think she likes you…”   
  
“Huh? Oh you mean the photos in her phone?” Nico rolled her eyes. “Don’t take it like that. She told me about that. She said it was only to give me support. Being a model ain’t easy. I mean I’d wear her designs when they come out. To support her. It’s what we do as friends even though we’re apart.”   
  
“Oh so it’s a girl thing?”   
  
“Mmhm.” Nico nodded in response. “Geez, you boys always have to see things like that.”   
  
Toshiro gave an awkward laugh. “I’ll see you later, Nico.”   
  
“Bye.” Nico opened the door for him, seeing his hands were full. “And don’t worry, I’ll keep my promise.”   
  
With that said, she closed the door behind Kotori’s ex and turned, walking further into the apartment.    
  
It didn’t take her long to figure out where Kotori was. She could hear soft sobbing coming from the bedroom before she even made it to the hallway. She wandered down it to Kotori’s bedroom and let herself in, finding Kotori curled up on her bed, clutching a pillow to her chest.    
  
Nico climbed onto the bed and took the pillow only to take it’s place a second later. She almost gasped at the strength with which Kotori hugged her back but she couldn’t say that she minded.    
  
“It’s okay.” She murmured, gently stroking Kotori’s hair as she would have with her siblings if they’d been upset. “It’s going to be okay, Kotori. I promise.”   
  
Kotori shook her head in disagreement but she couldn’t speak. She buried her face in Nico’s chest gripping the girl’s shirt tightly.    
  
Nico patiently stroked Kotori’s back, waiting for her to calm down. She felt Kotori’s breathing shudder after a few minutes and desperate to calm her she gently kissed the girl’s forehead. Her own heart skipped a beat. “You’re okay, you’re okay.”   
  
Kotori’s crying quietened after a few minutes and finally stopped. “H-How is it going to be okay?” She repeated Nico’s gentle mantra. “I-I’m alone.”   
  
“Hey, don’t say that. You’re not alone.” Nico gently cupped Kotori’s cheek in her head, drawing back slightly to look her in the eye. “I’m here, aren’t I?”   
  
Kotori sniffled. “I-I don’t know why. Or for how long.”   
  
“Because I care about you, you idiot.” Nico said, her voice tinged with disbelief. “And I’ll be here for however long you need me. Hell, I’ll take a break from work if I have to. I deserve more of a break.”   
  
“You don’t mind?”   
  
“Of course I don’t.” Nico pressed her forehead to Kotori’s, feeling the girl’s breath catch. “If it helps you, it’s fine. I’m here, okay?”   
  
“Okay.” Kotori rasped, struggling to focus with Nico so close to her. She gripped Nico’s shirt tighter, comforted by her warmth.    
  
\------   
  
Maki was walking swiftly through the ER to the double doors to await an incoming trauma with the other interns when she noticed a flash of ashen hair. She didn’t think anything of it at first until the young woman looked up, revealing golden eyes.    
  
“Kotori?!” Maki ground to a halt and one of the other interns, who had been hot on her heels, crashed into her bag, sending her staggering forward a couple of steps. It helped to relieve the shock at seeing Kotori slightly at least.    
  
“Maki-chan? What are you doing here?!” Kotori exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise.    
  
“What am I doing here?! What are  _ you _ doing here?” Maki stepped forward and grasped Kotori’s arms, looking her over. “Are you hurt? What happened? Wait, if you were hurt you’d be in a bed. What’s going on?!”   
  
“Too many questions, Maki-chan.” Kotori said with a soft laugh. She watched as Maki flushed in embarrassment. “One of my interns had an accident at work so I brought her here to get checked out.”   
  
“Oh, right. Good. I thought…” Maki trailed off, shaking her head. Glancing around she noticed most of the interns had disappeared, mostly likely to get to the incoming trauma first. “Come on, I have a few minutes to spare.”   
  
Kotori’s eyes widened as Maki grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the double doors at the other end of the room. “Where are we going?” She asked as Maki pushed her way through them.    
  
“Somewhere quiet so we can talk.” Maki answered, glancing over her shoulder at the girl behind her.    
  
Kotori was puzzled by the answer but she stayed silent until Maki tugged her into a small room, locking the door behind them. “So this is an on call room, huh…?”   
  
“So how are you?” Maki asked, turning around to face Kotori.    
  
Kotori shrugged her shoulders, vaguely noticing Maki’s tight scrubs pants. They were blue like the rest of the interns she had seen. “”I broke up with my boyfriend.”   
  
“Ah…” Maki bit the inside of her cheek, feeling a little awkward. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even know you were dating anyone.”   
  
“It’s fine. It’s been...a while. And Nico-chan is helping me.” Kotori replied casually. “So you work here, huh? You look impressive in your scrubs.”   
  
“Oh, yeah…” Maki looked down at herself briefly before she turned her attention back to Kotori. “It’s hard but I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else. I feel like this is what I’m meant to be doing.”   
  
“Not playing the piano?”   
  
“You know that was only for leisure purposes. I don’t get the chance to play much anymore.” Maki admitted quietly. “Long hours, you know?”   
  
“What about dating?” Kotori asked with a coy smirk. “Is Maki-chan dating anyone?”   
  
“What? N-No!” Maki answered quickly, shaking her head. “I’m always busy. In surgery or checking on my patients. My supervisors patients anyway. You know how being an intern works.”   
  
“Maybe you should get out more.” Kotori suggested, raising an eyebrow. “You could come out with me and Nico-chan. We could meet you one night when you’re done with work.”   
  
Maki grimaced slightly. “I don’t know…”   
  
“Come on, Maki-chan. Spending time with me won’t be that bad, I promise.” Kotori teased, taking a small step forward. “And Nico-chan will be there too so you’ll have someone else to talk to at least. Please?”   
  
Maki sighed and looked away. “It’s not that I don’t want to talk to you, just...fine. Fine, okay. I’ll come. If you want.”   
  
“Good.” Kotori beamed in response. “Besides Honoka-chan, Umi-chan, Eli-chan and Nozomi-chan I hardly get to see anyone else from Muse. I’ve missed you, Maki-chan. And everyone else too.”   
  
Maki managed a small smile at that.    
  
“You know…” Kotori said thoughtfully, remembering something. “Nico-chan told me you were dating someone.”   
  
“We broke up.” Maki answered, looking away. “It’s really complicated and...Hanayo is really mad at me. I don’t want to talk about it really. I was just...I was too much for the poor girl. She was way too bashful. And shy. Plus, I wanted to keep it hidden. Raven kind of understood my situation so he wasn’t too angry but I just couldn’t keep pulling her along. I’m such a coward. I…”   
  
She was cut off as someone opened the door behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to see a young man in a suit and white coat.

  
“Ah, Maki-chan. We need you.”   
  
“I’ll be there in a bit.”   
  
“Right.” The young man said quietly as he glanced between Maki and Kotori. “Also do remember we have a meeting tonight…”   
  
“Can’t, helping out a friend.”   
  
Kotori’s eyes widened in surprise as Maki looked to her.    
  
“Help me, please.” Maki mouthed.    
  
“Right. Me.” Kotori said, quickly catching on. She straightened up, exuding confidence. “I can’t believe you forgot, Maki-chan!”   
  
“Uh...sorry.” Maki said sheepishly.    
  
“I suppose I forgive you. Just as long as you don’t forget. I’ll pick you up after work. Seven, right?”   
  
“Nine.”   
  
“Right. I’ll see you then.” Kotori said with a smile.    
  
“Nijima-kun, can you give us a minute?” Maki asked hopefully.    
  
The man nodded and left, closing the door behind him.    
  
“I gotta get out of this.” Maki groaned, moving to sit on the bed.    
  
“What’s going on?” Kotori frowned in confusion, glancing between Maki and the door.    
  
“My father said he wanted us to work alongside each other. Kotori, he’s my arranged fiance. I can’t do this.”   
  
“Oh.” Kotori watched as Maki buried her head in her hands. “So you still haven’t come out.”   
  
“I didn’t know he was gonna get this crazy! I though for sure by thirty I should be worrying about this shit.”   
  
Kotori blinked in response. “Maki-chan, you’re twenty five. Mid twenties is when people should start to...elope.”   
  
Maki groaned in response. “I hate my life,  dammit, I’m throwing this on you. I really am a coward. Sorry. You must have your own issues. I mean you may lose an intern.”   
  
“She’s fine, just...she’s fine.” Kotori said with a shake of her head. “Come out with me tonight. For real, not just as an excuse. I’m a good distraction.”   
  
“Really?” Maki blushed as Kotori sat down next to her. She had never said anything but Kotori was the person who had made her realize she was gay. The first person she’d had feelings for. “Okay, I’ll come out. I do finish at nine though…”   
  
“I’ll be here.” Kotori said sincerely. She moved close and hugged Maki tightly, trying to comfort her.    
  
Maki felt her face turn redder as Kotori hugged her from the side, strong arms around her chest. She shifted her eyes to the side, trying to slow the pounding of her heart. It was only after a minute or so had passed that she spoke up. “Um, Kotori...are you going to let go?”   
  
“Sorry.” Kotori laughed sheepishly and released the redhead. “I told you I missed you. So I’ll pick you up here, okay? I’ll wait in the lobby. See you later, Maki-chan.”   
  
“Right.” Maki watched Kotori go, her eyes inadvertently slipping lower as Kotori walked toward the door and let herself out. She sighed and slumped back onto the bed. She put a hand to her blushing face. “Why did I have to be gay? Why does that girl have to be so damn attractive? Spirits, I’m going to hell...”   
  
\------   
  
Kotori noticed right away when Maki stepped into the lobby. She perked up at the sight of her. It seemed that Maki had seen her too as she said goodbye to the man next to her and pulled her hand away from him as he tried to kiss it goodbye.    
  
Kotori stood as Maki jogged to her and happily accepted the tight hug from the redhead.   
  
“You’re here!”   
  
“Yeah, of course.” Kotori glared at the man staring at Maki’s back. She wasn’t sure why but she didn’t like him very much. She loosened her grip as Maki pulled away. “Are you ready to leave? You look...cute.”   
  
Maki felt herself blushing as Kotori tugged at one of the drawstrings of her hoodie.    
  
“Maki-chan, can I sketch you?”   
  
“Huh?!”   
  
“Nothing, just...you look so cute in your hoodie and scrubs.” Kotori said sheepishly. She reached up and ruffled Maki’s hair, noticing it was longer. She also noticed Maki was slightly taller than her. “You’ve grown…”   
  
“Jealous?”   
  
Kotori pouted. “Nico-chan is taller than me too. I feel kind of short around the two of you.”   
  
“Nico? Taller than you?” Maki asked with a roll of her eyes. “Come on.”   
  
“Well she may as well be, she always wears heels.” Kotori pouted, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “It’s practically cheating.”   
  
Maki turned her head to hide a grin. “I can’t help you there. But look...” She nodded down at her shoes. “I wear chucks. Maybe if you wear heels instead of those flats we’d be the same height.”   
  
“Maybe. These barely have any platforms…”   
  
“What? You’re talking in clothes. You know I don’t understand that stuff.”   
  
Kotori laughed at that. “Same with me when you talk about medical stuff. Are you ready to go?”   
  
“Yeah.”   
  
Kotori hesitates for a moment, looking Maki over. “Um...I know I said you look cute and all...and you do! But...is that what you’re wearing?”   
  
“Um...yes?”    
  
“But we’re going out.”    
  
“I’m comfortable.” Maki protested meekly, shrugging her shoulders.    
  
Kotori sighed in response. “We’ll stop at my workshop. I have just the right thing for you. It won’t be uncomfortable, I promise.”   
  
“Wait…” Maki scowled, remembering when she had had to be fitted for a costume before. “I’m not going to have to strip, right?”   
  
“Um well I would have to measure you like I did Nico-chan. It won’t take long.”   
  
Maki turned away, blushing at the thought of having to be unclothed in front of her crush. Former crush, she reminded herself. “Fine, let’s just go…”   
  
\------   
  
Nico snickered to herself as she watched Maki’s face turn bright red as Kotori measured her bust. She lifted a hand to her mouth, doing her best not to burst out laughing at the look of concentration on the girl’s face.    
  
She noticed Kotori was blushing too though not as much. She wondered if Kotori had been as embarrassed about measuring her. Maybe she just hadn’t noticed. She couldn’t help but laugh at the fact that the two weren’t really talking. In fact Maki had her lower lip tucked between her teeth.    
  
“You okay, Maki? You look like you’re gonna burst.”   
  
Maki scowled. “Screw you.”   
  
“Don’t worry, Maki-chan. I’m almost done.” Kotori said, glancing up at Maki. She offered her a small smile. She looked down to finish measuring Maki’s hips, oblivious to how hard the redhead’s heart was beating. After a moment she stepped back. “Done. You can change behind the curtain and I’ll make adjustments if I need to.”   
  
“Right, thanks.” Maki glared at Nico once more before she left to do as she was told.    
  
“You shouldn’t tease her so much, Nico-chan.” Kotori said disapprovingly when Maki was out of earshot. “You know how shy she can be.”   
  
Nico rolled her eyes. It was like Kotori didn’t even know what she was teasing Maki about really. “So are you going to ask her to model for you too?”   
  
“Maybe.” Kotori said, bashfully looking away. “I’ve never drawn anyone in scrubs before…”   
  
Nico opened her mouth to reply but then she heard the sound of the curtain being pushed aside. A moment later Maki appeared, walking over to them.    
  
Kotori gawked at the sight of Maki in the red frilly skirt with a sleeveless over the shoulder black top.    
  
Nico smirked and shook her head. “All these years and you still one up me on looks. Damn and you don’t even try, Maki.”   
  
“Your bust definitely got bigger.” Kotori quipped, nodding her head.    
  
Maki frowned. “Kotori.”   
  
“For fitting! I-I need to fit you!”   
  
“And bang you.” Nico retorted with a roll of her eyes.    
  
Kotori and Maki both turned to gape at Nico in surprise.    
  
“Relax, I’m kidding!” Nico said, shaking her head at the two of them. “I’m just saying anyone with eyes would want to, I mean...come on.”   
  
Kotori relaxed slightly and looked Maki over. She had to admit that Maki did have a nice, toned body. Somehow even more so than the professional model. “You do look really good in that outfit, Maki-chan. It fits you well.”   
  
Maki managed a small smile at that. “So no adjustments needed then? It feels fine.”   
  
“If it feels fine to you that’s good enough for me.” Kotori said with an approving nod. “I’ll let you use some of my pajamas later so you don’t have to worry about going back to your place.”   
  
“Right, than...wait, what?” Makis eyes widened in surprise at what Kotori had said. “I’m staying over at your apartment?”   
  
“Sure. I have a spare room.”    
  
“Spare room is taken tonight.” Nico quipped, pointing toward herself. “She’ll have to take the couch.”   
  
Kotori thought about that for a moment before she replied. “She could sleep in my bed with me.”   
  
“Whoa, wait a minute. Why didn’t I get that offer?!” Nico blushed at the question but pressed on. “I’m not saying I want to but it would have been nice.”   
  
“Fine. You’ll sleep with me and Maki can sleep in the spare room.” Kotori said with a roll of her eyes.    
  
Nico groaned, noticing Maki pouting. “Fine, you big baby. I know you’re afraid of being alone in a room that’s not yours.”   
  
Kotori brightened as an idea occurred to her. “You could both sleep with me!”   
  
Nico scoffed. “Yeah, you wish.”   
  
“Not like that!”   
  
Nico smirked as Kotori blushed once more. “Thanks but I’ll stick with the spare room. I prefer having space when I sleep.”   
  
Maki sighed in relief. “I mean I could just go home…”   
  
“No way, we’ll be back way too late for you to just go home.” Kotori said with a shake of her head. “And you don’t have work tomorrow, right? You’re sleeping with me.”   
  
Nico raised an eyebrow while Maki blushed and Kotori quickly corrected herself. “Next to me! Goodness, Nico-chan, nothing is going to happen. We’re all friends.”   
  
“Who ain’t straight at all.” Nico quipped. “Especially the medical intern.  _ Something _ could happen.”   
  
“It’s not going to.” Kotori said with a confident shake of her head. “Besides if anything happens how am I meant to ask you out again?”   
  
“Wait, what?!” Maki exclaimed while Nico looked away, her own face turning red. She looked between Nico and a smirking Kotori, her stomach twisting with jealousy.    
  
Nico cast a glance at Maki. “I’m still waiting for you to be serious, Kotori. Right now all you’re doing is messing around. I’m not a rebound.”   
  
“Of course you’re not, you’re Nico-chan.” Kotori said with a sigh and a roll of her eyes. “Just because I just got out of a relationship that doesn’t mean I’m looking for a rebound. But I’ll wait until I’m serious enough.”   
  
Maki frowned as she glanced between them, crossing her arms in front of her chest. She couldn’t help but wonder when the two of them had gotten so close that Kotori was considering asking Nico out. And Nico was clearly thinking about saying yes.    
  


Nico noticed Maki silently fuming. “So time to go to karaoke!”    
  
Maki groaned and crossed her arms further. “Seriously?”   
  
“Yes!” Kotori answered brightly. “Come on, Maki-chan. It’ll be fun, I promise.”   
  
“Fine…”   
  
Nico laughed as Maki relented as she’d expected. “Come on then.”   
  
\-----   
  
Kotori was just about asleep when the door to her bedroom opened. She flinched in surprise, effectively torn from the slumber she was about to fall into. She blinked rapidly to clear her vision, in time to see Maki close the door behind her.    
  
“Maki-chan.” She mumbled, sitting up slightly. She brushed her hair back from her face. She noticed Maki was wearing the pajamas she’d given her though the pajama pants were a little short. The t-shirt Maki was wearing was loose, fortunately, given that it was loose on Kotori too. “Sorry I didn’t have anything else for you to wear.”   
  
“It’s fine. This is comfortable.” Maki switched off the light and padded across the room, slipping into the bed next to Kotori.    
  
“Did you have fun?” Kotori asked quietly, turning onto her side as Maki settled down next to her.    
  
“Yeah.” Maki replied honestly. She had been reluctant to go along with the idea but she had to admit it had been nice to spend time with Kotori and Nico.    
  
“Good.” Kotori said with a warm smile. She watched as Maki looked down at something she was holding. Looking closer she noticed it was a small pager. She was about to point out that Maki wouldn’t be needing it for bed when the redhead leaned over and placed the pager down on the table.    
  
Maki picked up her phone which she had placed there earlier and grimaced. “Damn it, why did Papa have to give him my number? This is a nightmare. Sorry…”   
  
Kotori smiled and reached out, gently taking the phone from Maki. She switched it off and placed it on the small bedside table at her own side of the bed. “You’re not a Nishikino tonight, you’re just Maki-chan.”   
  
“I would rather be a Minami.”   
  
Kotori’s eyes widened in surprise. Maki had said it so smoothly. She hadn’t even flinched as she reclined back on her side of the bed.    
  
“You alright, Kotori?”   
  
“F-Fine!” Kotori exclaimed quickly, her cheeks flushed red.    
  


Maki tilted her head, noticing Kotori’s glasses. She leaned in and gently took them from her. “Farsighted?”   
  
“Huh?!”   
  
“I’m wearing contacts. Mine started when I was eighteen. I’m nearsighted though. Who knew computers could ruin your eyes?”   
  
Kotori stared at Maki for a moment before she spoke. “You’re not gonna take them out?”   
  
Maki shrugged. “I usually forget sometimes during all-nighters.”   
  
“Maki-chan, put your glasses on!”   
  
Maki sighed. “But then we’ll both look nerdy.”   
  
“But adorakbale. I want to see you in them.”   
  
Maki rolled her eyes in response. “I don’t have them with me anyway. Maybe next time.”   
  
“So there’ll be a next time?” Kotori perked up, seemingly distracted from what she had been talking about.    
  
“I didn’t…” Maki trailed off in defeat and let out a sigh. They both knew there would be a next time. “Yes. if my schedule allows it.”   
  
Kotori beamed at the response and gave a slight nod of her head. “You need to have more breaks.”   
  
Maki shook her head though she couldn’t help but smile at how happy Kotori looked with her earlier answer. “I’m an intern. I have to work until I become a resident. The hours are long but it’ll be worth it in the end.”   
  
“You’ll make yourself sick.” Kotori pointed out, raising an eyebrow.    
  
“I won’t, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.” Maki chuckled under her breath when Kotori pouted at her. “I know what I’m doing, trust me.” She noticed Kotori still looked a little bit troubled and continued softly. “Visit me at the hospital. That way we can still see each other even when I’m busy with work and you can decide if I need a break.”   
  
“Deal.” Kotori said, relied seeping into her voice. “Does this mean I get to see Maki-chan work?”   
  
“No, it means your get to see me in an on-call room.” Maki blushed despite herself at the accidental insinuation. “I can spare thirty minutes when you come in. You might have to wait a bit until I’m not busy.”   
  
“That’s fine. I don’t mind waiting for Maki-chan.”   
  
Maki glanced briefly to the side, wondering whether Kotori was saying things like that intentionally. Intentional or not, it was having the unnerving effect of making her heart beat too quickly. She leaned slightly toward Kotori, their shoulders brushing between them. “You smell nice.” She murmured, feeling a little tired after the long day she’d had.    
  
“Th-Thanks.” Kotori stuttered nervously. “You smell nice too.”   
  
Maki smiled at that, letting her head rest near Kotori’s shoulder. “Thanks.”   
  
Kotori found herself holding her breath and had to focus to take a couple of slow breaths. Looking down she could see Maki’s hair brushing against her shoulder. It had been a while since she’d been so close to someone but surprisingly it didn’t feel awkward.    
  
Noticing Maki’s head tilt slightly more toward her, Kotori froze in apprehension only for Maki to jerk awake a second later. “You can rest against me. If you want to.”   
  
Maki leaned in, her lips accidentally brushing against Kotori’s shoulder. Her breath hitched as did Kotori’s but she didn’t notice the latter. She pressed her head further into Kotori’s shoulder, trembling slightly as she did so.    
  
Kotori felt Maki let out a sigh before she felt something wet on her shoulder. She looked down in concern only to find Maki in tears.    
  
“I don’t want to marry Nijima…”   
  
Kotori quickly wrapped her arms around Maki, drawing her close to her side. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.” She soothed gently, her heart wrenching with sympathy. She knew that wasn’t entirely true but she wanted Maki to know that it was only right for her to have options. She lightly pressed her lips to the top of Maki’s head. “It’s gonna be okay, Maki-chan. No matter what happens I’ll be here for you.”   
  
“My father would be furious if I refused.” Maki said, her voice thick with emotion. “I’d lose my job. He owns the hospital I work at.”   
  
“You can get another job.” Kotori said reassuringly.    
  
“What if I didn’t find a new job right away? What if I lost my apartment?” Maki blinked up at Kotori, tears clinging to her lashes.    
  
“Then you could stay with me.” Kotori said honestly. “This place is too big for just me anyway. Honestly, I’ve been thinking about finding a roommate or something.”   
  
“Really?” Maki sniffled softly, her lower lip trembling.    
  
“Yeah, of cour-” Kotori was cut off by Maki hugging her tightly. Her eyes widened in surprise at the gesture but she returned the hug without hesitation. “Let’s get some sleep, Maki-chan. You’ll feel better in the morning.”   
  
Maki nodded against Kotori’s shoulder. She loosened her embrace but didn’t let go of Kotori completely. Instead she opted to stay close to her, her head nestled into Kotori’s shoulder as she drifted off.    
  
\----   
  
Kotori pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose as she entered the kitchen, her laptop balanced on one arm. Thankfully she didn’t have to worry about going into work unless she needed to do something in her workshop.    
  
“Morning!”   
  
Kotori glanced up, finding Nico standing in front of the stove. “Morning.” She mumbled, sitting down at the table. She sniffed at the air. “Are you cooking?”   
  
“Just something light. I figured you might be hungover. I made tea when I heard you get up.” Nico walked over to Kotori and set a steaming cup of tea in front of her. “Breakfast won’t be long.”   
  
“Thank you, Nico-chan.” Kotori flashed Nico a warm smile before she went back to her emails. She skimmed over them, deciding not to read them yet, her gaze soon flitting back to Nico. “You know, I could get used to this.”   
  
Nico smirked and shook her head before she made her way back across the room to the stove. On the way she noticed Maki enter the kitchen, groggily rubbing her eyes. “Your hair is a mess.”   
  
Maki grunted in response and made her way to the table, sitting down next to Kotori.    
  
“How did you sleep?” Kotori asked gently, nudging Maki with her shoulder. After their conversation the previous night she was still slightly worried about the redhead.    
  
“Fine.” Maki squinted at Kotori’s laptop. “What are you reading?”   
  
“Just work emails. Don’t worry about it.” Kotori shut her laptop and pushed it away. “Does your head hurt? You didn’t drink much last night, right?”    
  
“Stop mothering her.” Nico said, rolling her eyes in amusement as she walked over to the two of them. She placed a plate of eggs in front of each of them. “That’s my job.”   
  
Maki frowned. “I don’t need either of you to mother me.”   
  
“Yes, you do.” Nico and Kotori said in unison. They shared a surprised look but it was Kotori who continued.    
  
“We just mean it’s good to have someone looking out for you.” Kotori explained quietly. “Like I have...Nico-chan, I suppose?” She glanced at Nico, receiving a confident nod in response.    
  
Maki scowled. “I’m twenty five, damn it.”   
  
“Twenty six.” Kotori replied, raising a hand.    
  
“Twenty seven.” Nico chimed in, rolling her eyes at Maki. “You’re still a baby, Maki. To us, anyway.”   
  
Maki growled under her breath. “Screw you.” She picked up her fork and stabbed irritably at her eggs.    
  
Nico raised an eyebrow at Kotori before she left to get her own plate.    
  
Kotori winced, wondering if she’d actually annoyed Maki with her fretting. “Sorry, Maki-chan. I was just worried about you.”   
  
Maki’s brow furrowed slightly as she glanced over at Kotori. “I’m sorry too. I didn’t mean to snap. But I’m not a little kid anymore.”   
  
“I know.” Kotori’s voice softened slightly and she looked down at the table.    
  
Maki felt her stomach coil with guilt at the look on Kotori’s face. “I’m sorry.” She said again, earning herself a small smile from the girl sitting next to her.    
  
Nico returned to the table a moment later, sitting down with the two of them. “Is it okay if I stay over again tonight? I don’t really need to go home for anything and I live across…”   
  
“Yes.” Kotori answered before Nico could finish. “Are you cooking tonight?”   
  
“Obviously.”   
  
“Good, your cooking is so much better than mine.” Kotori said, perking up slightly at the prospect of Nico staying for another night. “Oh, I don’t have work tonight so maybe we could do something. Maki-chan, you’re welcome to join us if you want.”   
  
Maki nodded. “I don’t want to go back to my apartment. Papa might be waiting there.”   
  
Nico groaned. “Another suitor?”   
  
Maki shook her head. “Fiance.”   
  
“You’ve got to come out, Maki. Don’t torture yourself. I swear to the gods if I have to tell him myself…”   
  
Kotori leaned back in her seat, figure the conversation was one she should stay out of.    
  
“How would you feel if your fans and the whole fashion world found out you’re pan, Nico?! It would ruin my whole rep if I came out. You know how prejudice Japan is, damn it!”   
  
“So you’re just going to marry the guy?!”   
  
“I-I don’t know!”   
  
Kotori awkwardly cleared her throat. Nico glanced at her and she motioned toward the living room. She waited for a nod before she slipped away to give the two a few minutes of privacy.    
  
“You should come out.” Nico said when Kotori had left, looking back to Maki.    
  
“I’m not ready, Nico. How do you not get that?”   
  
Nico sighed and shook her head. “Forget about it. I’m gonna find Kotori.”   
  
Maki opened her mouth to reply but fell silent when Nico left. She sighed and leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes. She didn’t know what to do.    
  
\----   
  
It took Nico a few minutes but she finally tracked Kotori down to her bedroom. The door was open, allowing her to see inside but she knocked anyway. “Hey. Why did you run off?”   
  
“Just figured you two could use a minute alone.” Kotori admitted sheepishly, shrugging her shoulders. “I didn’t want to intrude.”   
  
“This is your house.” Nico pointed out, sitting down next to Kotori.    
  
Kotori shrugged her shoulders again.    
  
“We made you uncomfortable.” Nico observed, noticing Kotori glancing away. “I didn’t think anything could do that.”   
  
Kotori gave a light laugh in response. “It’s not really that. I just didn’t want to get in the way. You’re good at getting through to Maki-chan but I just wouldn’t know what to say to her.”   
  
“It takes practice. Maki is a stubborn girl. You just have to persuade her. Besides, I think you’d be better going with her to see her dad. I would just want to punch him for being so fucking dense.”   
  
Kotori grimaced at that. “You’d probably be better with dealing with him. I wouldn’t know what to say.”   
  
“Since when?” Nico asked, at a loss. “What’s with you and Maki? Would you be saying that if it was Honoka in the same situation?”   
  
“Well no but I know Honoka’s parents. And they wouldn’t…”    
  
“It’s not the point!” Nico exclaimed. She huffed out a sigh and rolled her eyes when Kotori merely stared at her. “Fine, you take the daughter. I’ll take the dad.”   
  
“But you’re so good with Maki-chan…”   
  
“Then what DO you want to do?!”   
  
“I just don’t want to mess up.” Kotori admitted quietly, glancing down at her lap. “I’m obviously...bad with relationships. I just think you would be better at taking the lead. I’ll help in whatever way you tell me to.”   
  
“What’s wrong with you?” Nico’s voice softened slightly and she reached out, lightly touching Kotori’s chin. She gently lifted her head. “Listen to me. That breakup was not your fault, okay? You obviously still liked him and he broke your heart. I swear if...if I was your girl I would never hurt you.”   
  
Kotori reached up, clasping Nico’s hand. “You wouldn’t?”   
  
“Never.” Nico said softly, noticing the moisture lacing Kotori’s eyes. She was staring right at them so she didn’t fail to notice the way they flicked down to her mouth. “And between you and me I wouldn’t give a damn if the whole world knows I’m into girls, boys or anyone with a good personality. And you, Kotori, have a beautiful personality. One that would make even the meanest person melt.”   
  
Kotori sniffled softly. “I-I don’t know about that.”   
  
“That’s fine. I know enough for the both of us.” Nico squeezed the hand clasping her own.    
  
“Gross, get a room.”   
  
Kotori flinched at the sound of Maki’s voice and looked to the doorway.    
  
Nico sighed. “Go get dressed, Maki. The grownups are talking.”   
  
Maki gave Nico the finger before going to get dressed.    
  
Kotori let go of Nico’s hand. “Thanks for the talk, Nico-chan. I should get dressed too. I’ll um...see you downstairs?”   
  
“Yeah. Sure.” Nico sat still for a moment until she realized that she was meant to be leaving. “Oh! Oh right. Sorry. I’ll um...I’ll be downstairs.”   
  
“Yeah.” Kotori watched with a small smile as Nico left her room, closing the door behind her.    
  
\-----   
  
Kotori glanced over at Maki as they stepped into the elevator. She wasn’t sure why but she felt strangely uncomfortable around the redhead. “You know, you don’t have to come with us. We’re only going to pick up some clothes for Nico-chan because she doesn’t…”   
  
“I want to come.” Maki interrupted sharply.    
  
“Right…” Kotori looked at the elevator doors as they closed behind them. She was silent for a moment as the elevator started going down, her thoughts on Maki. She didn’t know what was wrong with the doctor.    
  
Maki moved suddenly, stepping toward the elevator doors and hitting the emergency stop button.    
  
“Maki-chan!” Kotori scolded in surprise. “What are you doing?!”   
  
“I’m sorry, okay?” Maki turned toward Kotori though her gaze wasn’t focused. She was pointedly not looking at Kotori. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings earlier.”   
  
Kotori blinked in surprise. “What?”   
  
“You were crying. With Nico?” Maki pressed, her stomach twisting at the thought of the conversation she had partially overheard.   
  
“Oh. That wasn’t your fault.”   
  
“Yes, it was!”   
  
Kotori frowned. “Maki-chan…” Her eyes widened as Maki turned and began to approach her. She backed away slowly until her back hit the wall. “Maki.”   
  
“Just stop! Stop trying to make me feel better, I…” Maki closed her eyes tightly for a moment, cursing herself. “Damn it. I’m just…”   
  
Kotori swallowed thickly. She was pressed back against the wall, Maki almost flush against her. “It’s okay, Maki-chan. You didn’t do anything to me. It wasn’t you.”   
  
Maki wasn’t sure what possessed her to do what she did next but she leaned up and kissed Kotori hard, pressing her further back against the wall. She felt Kotori’s hands come up to grasp at her shoulders and expected to be pushed away. Instead, Kotori just gripped her hoodie hard, neither pushing her away or pulling her closer.    
  
Kotori barely realized she was kissing Maki back. All she was aware of was how right it felt for Maki to be kissing her. All she could focus on was the way Maki was pressed against her and the way she didn’t hesitate to deepen the kiss, lightly teasing the seam of Kotori’s lips with her tongue until Kotori parted them with a whimper.    
  
Maki’s hands ran up and down Kotori’s sides as she pressed as close as she could to her, her leg shifting between Kotori’s thighs. She felt a sharp intake of breath and Kotori’s knees buckle. Quickly she gripped Kotori’s legs, lifting her up.    
  
Instinctively Kotori’s legs wrapped around Maki’s waist. The movement forced their lips to part but Maki didn’t dwell on it for long, her lips moving to Kotori’s neck.    
  
Kotori moaned softly as Maki sucked hard at her neck. She reached down, grasping the back of Maki’s hoodie and pulled up hard, causing Maki to falter in what she was doing, long enough to lift her arms so that Kotori could drag the hoodie over her head.    
  
She quickly went back to what she was doing, pressing open mouthed kisses to Kotori’s neck as all of her pent up frustration spilled out. She felt Kotori’s fingers slide into her hair and growled softly against the older woman’s neck.    
  
Kotori gasped softly as Maki’s hand snaked it’s way under her shirt, splaying over her skin. “M-Maki-chan…”   
  
Maki stilled, Kotori’s voice grounding her. Both of them were breathing heavily, Kotori’s chest heaving slightly. “I like you, Kotori. I don’t want to marry Nijima.”   
  
Kotori stared at Maki, trying to think. She couldn’t focus when Maki looked so smolderingly hot though. She could barely think past the fact that she wanted to kiss Maki again. “M-Maki-chan, I…”   
  
Maki sighed and carefully let go of Kotori, letting her sink back to the floor.    
  
Unsteady on her feet, Kotori grasped at Maki’s shoulders. She noticed a brief flicker of hope in Maki’s eyes before it dimmed just as quickly. “I don’t know what to say, Maki-chan.”   
  
“You don’t have to say anything.” Maki said though she sounded disappointed. She made sure Kotori was steady before she stepped away and picked up her hoodie from the floor, tugging it on over her shirt. “I need to go to the hospital.”   
  
“W-What? But you don’t have duty. And you were coming with me and Nico-chan…”   
  
“I want to visit some patients.” Maki hit the button to make the elevator go again. “Just think about what I said. Will I see you at the hospital tomorrow?”   
  
“Y-Yes.”   
  
Maki smiled softly. “Good.” She stepped forward and hugged Kotori gently. She wanted to kiss her again but she didn’t want to make Kotori feel even more confused than she already was. She felt Kotori hug her back. “I’m not gonna run away anymore, Kotori.”   
  
“I’m glad.” Kotori mumbled. She buried her nose in Maki’s shoulder and inhaled slowly, her eyes closing.    
  
Maki didn’t let go until the elevator doors opened and she was forced to. She turned to the elevator door in time to see Nico standing there.    
  
“What happened?” Nico asked, raising an eyebrow.    
  
“Nothing. I’m going to work.” Maki glanced back at Kotori once more before she left, heading for the doors.    
  
“Kotori?” Nico pressed as Kotori stepped out of the elevator. “What’s wrong?”   
  
“Nothing, it’s fine. Maki-chan um...apologized for earlier. She thought she upset me.” Kotori explained quietly, her mind still on the kiss. She quickly tried to shake it off. “Come on, Nico-chan. Let’s go shopping.”   
  
“R-Right.” Nico let Kotori grasp her hand and tug her toward the doors though she was still concerned by how distracted Kotori seemed.    
  
\-----   
  
Kotori was sketching out scrubs when she heard movement at the doorway. She quickly turned the page to a sketch of a strapless dress she had been working on but she didn’t look up, aware that it would be Nico. Maki had left earlier to check on her patients at the hospital so Kotori knew it wouldn’t be her. Nico on the other hand had come back with her after they’d been shopping.    
  
“Do you need anything?” Nico called after a moment when Kotori didn’t look up. As much as she wanted to stand there watching Kotori for a while longer she was a bit concerned Kotori would think it was creepy.    
  
“No, I’m fine.” Kotori looked up with a small smile, setting down her pencil. “Maybe I could use a break. Just for a few minutes.”   
  
Nico walked into the room, moving over to Kotori’s desk. She walked around to Kotori’s side and leaned against the desk, looking down at the sketchbook in front of Kotori. “New design?”   
  
“This? Yeah, I was inspired, I suppose. I thought it would look good on you.”   
  
Nico raised an eyebrow. “You’re designing something from scratch? For me?”   
  
Kotori blushed. “Well it’s my job, Nico-chan.”   
  
Nico hummed in response but she didn’t say anything else. She watched as Kotori looked down at the table, seemingly unfocused. She waited a moment but Kotori seemed to space out. “You thinking of something?”   
  
“Huh?” Kotori flinched in surprise. “O-Oh. No. I was just thinking about um...nothing really. Nothing at all.”   
  
She blushed, looking away. She had been thinking about something in particular. She’d been thinking about Maki kissing her, pinning her to the elevator door. She remember how her hands had clutched at the soft cotton of Maki’s hoodie as she kissed the redhead back. She didn’t know why she had kissed her back. It was all a hazy, lust filled blur now.    
  
“You’re thinking about it again.” Nico teased, slightly amused by how red Kotori’s face was. “I’m guessing you’re thinking about something you shouldn’t be?”   
  
“M-Me? No! What?” Kotori laughed nervously.    
  
Nico smiled softly. “You really are cute.”   
  
Kotori looked down at her sketch pad, to avoid looking at Nico.    
  
“You know, I’m still up for that offer you gave me.”   
  
“Huh?” Kotori looked up again in confusion.    
  
“Draw me.” Nico explained simply. “I know I don’t have Maki’s structure but I am a good poser.”   
  
“Your clothes are pretty…” Kotori murmured as she adjusted her glasses on the bridge of her nose.    
  
Nico chuckled and leaned in. “So draw me. You can even trace my body if you need to know my shape and curves.”   
  
Nico was clearly teasing but Kotori felt her face burn up again. “Nico-chan!”   
  
Nico laughed softly and leaned back a bit. “You sure are fun to tease. I’m serious though. Draw me. Come on, it’ll be fun.”   
  
“Well…” Kotori bit her lip, letting her eyes rake briefly over Nico. She really did want to but that that was what made the whole thing confusing. She didn’t know why she wanted to draw Nico so much. “Alright. Alright, come on.”   
  
“Hmm?” Nico felt herself flush as Kotori stood up and took her hand though she let herself be guided to the couch. “Oh, going the titanic route?”   
  
“Shut up, Nico-chan. I want you to sit, not lay down.” Kotori said with a roll of her eyes. She guided Nico to sit near the arm of the couch, gently guiding Nico’s arm to rest on it. She lightly pushed Nico’s knees closed and turned her slightly. “There. Perfect.”   
  
“I didn’t know this would include so much manhandling.” Nico said playfully as she watched Kotori look her over.   
  
Kotori blushed again and pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose before she went to grab her drawing pad. She pulled her chair around to the other side of the desk, closer to the couch so that she could stare at Nico straight on. She sat down and readied her pencil over the clean sheet of paper. She stared at Nico, her gaze focused but heated.    
  
Nico swallowed thickly at the look, telling herself that Kotori was probably only concentrating. She nervously licked her lips. “So you just want me to sit here, right?”   
  
“Mmhm.” Kotori nodded her head in response. “Are you uncomfortable?”   
  
“No, it’s fine.” Nico replied quietly. “At least I’m sitting. I have to pose for a pretty long time sometimes.”   
  
“Well I guess we could try a more comfortable position.” Kotori said thoughtfully, figuring the position was causing Nico some discomfort even if she didn’t want to admit it.    
  
“So I get to recline?”   
  
Kotori sighed and got up, crossing to Nico. She didn’t notice Nico had kicked off her heels until she was a few seconds too late to stop herself. She tripped over them, stumbling toward the couch with a cry of surprise.    
  
She noticed Nico’s eyes widen in surprise and the girl lurched forward, reaching out to try to grab her. She managed it but the force with which Kotori was falling caused Nico to fall back against the back of the couch.    
  
Kotori landed softly against Nico’s body.    
  
Nico breathed a sigh of relief at the fact that she hadn’t caused Kotori to fall onto the floor at least. She paused though, noticing Kotori’s glasses were askew, her shirt rumpled. “You’re still clumsy, even now…” She mumbled with a smile as she reached up to gently brush Kotori’s hair from her face.    
  
Kotori felt that familiar haze settle on her as Nico’s fingers slid into her hair. She leaned forward slightly. “Maybe that’s a good thing.”   
  
“You think?” Nico murmured, her own eyes half-lidded. She gently removed Kotori’s glasses, setting them at her side. Slowly she closed the distance between them and soon enough pressed her lips to Kotori’s.    
  
Kotori’s eyes fluttered shut. Nico’s lips were somewhat softer than Maki’s, or at least the kiss itself was. Maki had been more bold and passionate while Nico was unhurried and gentle. Kotori shivered as Nico’s hand ran gently up her arm to lightly grip her shoulder. She wasn’t sure how it was possible but even at the slow pace, Nico’s kiss was affecting her just as much as Maki’s. She whimpered slightly and applied slightly more pressure to the kiss, her own hand going to the back of Nico’s neck to draw her closer.    
  
Nico’s lips parted from Kotori’s, just slightly. “You’re trembling.” She whispered, squeezing Kotori’s arm.    
  
“You’re kissing me.” Kotori countered in a whisper.    
  
“So? You never been kissed by a girl before?” Nico teased. She pressed a gentle peck to Kotori’s lips. “Do you want me to stop?”   
  
Kotori whimpered in response. She had been kissed by a girl. A more daring, incredibly passionate one. Both kisses were equally good but Nico was more sensual.    
  
“We don’t have to be anything, ya know. I’m fine being friends with some benefits.”   
  
“Or more.” Kotori whispered. She felt herself flush at the surprised look on Nico’s face. “I thought you didn’t want to be my rebound?”   
  
“Well...I don’t.” Nico said awkwardly, remembering her earlier words. “But I want you more than I dislike the idea of that?”   
  
Kotori nervously bit her bottom lip for a moment. She had Maki to think about too. She had to think about what Maki had told her. “Do you like me, Nico-chan?”   
  
“Whoa, wait. Uh...let’s not go that far. I mean sure I like you but I still don’t want to be your rebound.”   
  
“So you want us to stay single?”   
  
“...Yes.” Nico said after a couple of seconds. “I do.”   
  
Kotori slowly nodded her head. “I’m fine with that. I am getting back to being available after all. But we can still do the friends with benefits thing.”   
  
She thought of Maki, wondering if the redhead wanted more than that. Maki had told her that she liked her but Kotori couldn’t be sure about what that meant.    
  
“So it’s okay if I kiss you again?” Nico asked, drawing Kotori’s attention back to her. She flashed her a soft smile.    
  
Kotori silently nodded her head, figuring there was no need for words. She closed her eyes just before she felt Nico’s lips press against hers once more. She leaned into Nico, kissing her back without hesitation.    
  
\------   
  
Kotori sank down further into the warm water of her bath, staring at the other side of the tub. She had decided to relax with a hot bath in an effort to calm her racing thoughts. It didn’t seem to be working though. In fact now that she was alone she was thinking even more, specifically about Nico and Maki and the kisses she had shared with them earlier.    
  
The kisses had been so different but equally as mind-blowing. Kotori wasn’t sure she had ever felt so much from a kiss as she had with Maki and Nico. It came as a surprise, though Kotori remembered that she had briefly had a crush on Maki when she was in high school. Nothing serious of course but it had definitely been there.    
  
She let out a slow breath. Maki was full of passion, eagerness and frustration but Nico was so motherly and caring and Kotori recently found herself craving Nico’s presence. She didn’t know what to do but she knew that she would have to give Maki an answer at some point, if only to keep her from getting married. She vaguely wondered if Maki even wanted to be with her enough to call it off.    
  
The kiss they had shared had certainly made it seem like it. Kotori leaned back against the back of the bathtub, closing her eyes as she thought back to the way Maki had pinned her to the wall. The feeling of their lips crashing together and the possesive way Maki had lifted her. Maki was so strong and toned but slim and soft at the same time.    
  
Her hand travelled to her neck and she felt the slightly raised marks left there by the redhead. She remember how she had been left grinding forward against Maki’s thigh, seemingly not even of her own accord. Her thoughts shifted to Nico, pushing her against the couch and straddling her.    
  
Nico’s approach had been different to Maki’s. She had teased her slowly and sensually, driving her to the brink of release with foreplay and heated touches while Maki herself had been much more forward.    
  
Kotori vaguely felt her hand slip between her legs. She hissed softly, her hips bucking on instinct as her fingers slid against her core, slipping easily through her wet folds. She let out another slow breath, fighting the desire to speed up her actions. She couldn’t be too loud because Nico was still in the next room and she knew that if she kept going she would end up being loud.   
  
She gritted her teeth as she drew her hand away, situating it back at her side. “Damn them for being so hot.” She mumbled to herself, trying to ignore the subtle ache in her groin. As much as she wanted to continue she knew she couldn’t. She would just have to bare with it.    
  
She reached out and picked up her phone from the floor, checking the time. She sighed softly. Maki would probably be home now and she had promised the doctor that she would she her tomorrow morning.    
  
“I better go to sleep.” She mumbled before she pushed herself up and got out of the bath to wrap herself in a towel.    
  
TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter of TMPTY! I’m super glad you guys like it and thanks so much for the messages/comments/reblogs. Hope you enjoy the chapter!
> 
> Warning(s): Sexual scenes, unwanted sexual advances, swearing.

Kotori glanced at her phone. She had been sitting in the waiting room for fifteen minutes already and Maki still hadn’t arrived, nor had she text her back. She wondered if Maki had gotten caught up in a surgery or something but she figured Maki would have text her to let her know if that was the case.  
  
She got up, glancing around to make sure nobody was watching before she walked quickly through the double doors ahead. As far fetched as it was she figured she could check the on call room Maki had dragged her to the first time they had met up at the hospital. Maybe Maki had fallen asleep or something.  
  
She didn’t get halfway there before the sound of raised voices caught her attention. She glanced around but everyone else either didn’t hear it or they were ignoring it. She pressed on, moving closer to the voices until she came to a supply closet.  
  
Kotori hesitated outside of the door. The yelling had stopped but she was sure she had heard Maki. She took a deep breath and bracing herself, pushed the door open. She had worried that she might find Maki arguing with her fiance but what she saw instead caused her to freeze.  
  
The man Kotori had met when she’d first run into Maki at the hospital was kissing Maki, her back pressed against the wall. Kotori’s gaze shifted between the hand that pinned Maki’s shoulder to the wall and the tears that tracked their way down Maki’s cheeks. The door closed behind her but neither Maki nor Nijima seemed to notice.  
  
It was enough to break Kotori out of her shock though and with a low growl she stormed toward the two, harshly shoving Nijima away from Maki. He stumbled a couple of steps and Kotori quickly positioned herself in front of Maki.  
  
“Stay the hell away from her.” She warned angrily, glaring at the man.  
  
“I can do what I want, she’s MY fiance!” Nijima argued back. “Right Maki?”  
  
“Get out. Right now.” Kotori pointed to the door. “I’m warning you. Before I lose my cool.”  
  
“Whatever. I’ll see you tonight, Maki.” Nijima smirked at Maki before he stalked toward the door.  
  
“No, you won’t!” Kotori retorted just as the door closed behind the man. She shook her head in disdain and turned toward Maki. “Are you okay? I was texting you but you didn’t reply and I was worried. I didn’t mean to barge in…” She paused, noticing Maki wiping at her mouth. “Has he been doing that to you all this time? Is that why you…”  
  
Maki frowned, her tears drying on her cheeks. “No, that’s an entirely different matter.”  
  
Kotori nodded. “Does he do it often?”  
  
“Only when we’re alone.”  
  
Kotori bit her lip. “And you...let him?”  
  
Maki sighed and shook her head. “He caught me off guard this time. I only let him when Pa...my father is around. But even that amount of tongue is gross.”  
  
Kotori grimaced. “Have you…”  
  
“No! What the hell? I’m not easy, Kotori. Just...ugh, I hate this. And he’s expecting me home…”  
  
“Well you’re not going home.” Kotori said confidently only to lose her confidence at the look on Maki’s face. “I mean...right? You’re not going home, are you?  
  
“I have to. My parents are coming over for dinner.”  
  
“Well I guess they’ll just have to add one more.”  
  
Maki groaned and slid down the wall. As much as she wanted to say yes if only so that Nijima would keep his hands to himself she couldn’t trust herself around Kotori. “No. I have to do this on my own.”  
  
“Oh.” Kotori’s shoulders slumped and she glanced away, trying to think of how else she could help. “Want me to come over after?”  
  
“Huh?!”  
  
“I want to pick up the pieces.” Kotori said sheepishly. “If it’s okay with you.”  
  
“You’re not going to budge until I say yes, are you?”  
  
“Well Honoka-chan isn’t the only one with a stubborn streak.”  
  
Maki smiled softly. “Fine. Kotori…?”  
  
“Yes?”  
  
Can you come down here and lean on me?” Maki asked, slightly nervous about the question. “Please?”  
  
Kotori went down to her knees and paused for a moment. When Maki nodded she leaned in and pressed her forehead to the intern’s shoulder. She had to tense to fight the urge to lean fully into Maki’s warmth.  
  
Maki leaned her head into the designer, taking in the scent of pastries and coffee that seemed to cling to Kotori’s clothes. “Thanks for getting him off. You’re my hero.”  
  
Kotori felt her lips turn up slightly. “I didn’t do much.” She wished she could do more but she knew Maki had to deal with the situation herself. “You deserve so much, Maki-chan.”  
  
Maki pressed herself closer to Kotori, feeling her tears threaten to spill over once more. She closed her eyes tightly as Kotori gently stroked her hair. “Do you like me, Kotori? Even if it’s only physical? You kissed me back in the elevator so…”  
  
“Um…” Kotori hesitated for a moment before she spoke softly. “I’m attracted to you. Not just physically. You actually made me realize I’m bisexual. Back in high school.”  
  
Maki flinched slightly in surprise. “Really? Y-You made me realize I was gay.”  
  
Kotori bit her lip as Maki drew back to look at her. Maki’s eyes were so deep, violet meeting her own amber.  
  
“I hate his taste.” The medical intern whispered to Kotori. “I hate it so much.”  
  
Kotori felt her heart pound against her chest as the taller girl leaned in. It was clear Maki was losing control again. She didn’t know if she wanted to stop it though. She wanted to be physically closer to Maki. She was single. She wasn’t committed to anyone. She could do it if she wanted.  
  
She let out a breath and gently brushed a strand of hair behind Maki’s ear, her fingertips tracing the girl’s cheek. It hadn’t escaped her notice that Maki had paused halfway too and was watching her intently.  
  
“No turning back now.” Maki whispered huskily as Kotori inched a little closer.  
  
“I know.” Kotori murmured back, her lips an inch or so away from Maki’s. She still wasn’t sure if she was doing the right thing for Maki but she couldn’t stop herself. The girl she’d liked in high school was sitting in front of her and actually wanted to kiss her. Anyone would have.  
  
Her hand slid to the back of Maki’s head and she gently drew her in, pressing their lips together after what felt like an impossibly long moment. Her eyes fluttered shut and she felt Maki lean into the kiss, kissing her back. Hands gently grasped at Kotori’s arms to tug her closer and Kotori felt herself sink into the warmth.  
  
Maki was much more gentle this time, more like Nico had been the first time they had kissed. Kotori mentally hit herself for comparing the two of them. Besides that she didn’t even know if either of the two liked her beyond physical attraction. She couldn’t help but hope that one day one of the two would grow to love her as more than a friend.  
  
She squeezed her eyes shut, pressing closer to Maki and tried to block those thoughts out.  
  
\----  
  
Kotor bit the pin between her lips hard, trying to focus. “Stop it, I’m trying to work here.”  
  
“Hand on my hip is working for you?” Nico quipped as she watched the hand drop from her waist as her friend with benefits turned around. “So how was lunch with Maki?”  
  
“It was fine. Her fiance is an asshole.”  
  
“Oh, what happened?”  
  
“Nico-chan…”  
  
“Hey, I like being in the loop!”  
  
Kotori sighed. “He forced a kiss. Or more like a makeout. I pushed him off of her...pretty roughly if I do say so myself…”  
  
“Ooh, so dashing.” Nico said mockingly.  
  
“Shut up!”  
  
“Oh come on, I knew about her crush on you. You must have swept her off her feet.”  
  
Kotori blushed slightly as she recalled being led to the one call room, crawling onto the bed where she had made out for a good hour with the intern. “Well we did...she did kiss me. I mean I kissed her this time but we’ve kissed before.”  
  
Nico nodded her head, her lips turning upwards slightly. “Well at least she’s into someone unlike Nijima.”  
  
“I don’t know if she’s into me or anything like that.” Kotori bent down to gather up the pins she had dropped on the floor earlier, a soft sigh passing her lips. “It’s complicated anyway. So um...you said that you liked me. Yesterday.”  
  
“Oh.” Nico tilted her head. “You need a distraction?”  
  
“No! No. It’s not like that.” Kotori quickly shook her head. “I was just wondering if you meant it when you said it.”  
  
“Well I don’t say anything I don’t mean.” Nico briefly bit her lip before shrugging her shoulders. “I like you as a friend. That’s...I mean I’m attracted to you obviously but I’m not really in the right place to like anyone like that right now.”  
  
“R-Right.” Kotori said softly, glancing to the side. She supposed she wasn’t in the right state of mind either. “So you just like me physically then?”  
  
“Well it sounds bad when you say it like that.” Nico grimaced. She reached up, awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck. “But...ah, I guess so? I mean if you asked me if I want you physically the answer would be yes. But a relationship...”  
  
“Okay.” Kotori took a deep breath and nodded her head. “Thank you for being honest with me.”  
  
“Of course. I’ll always tell you the truth.” Nico stepped forward and grasped Kotori’s hand, tugging her into a loose embrace. “So do you really like Maki?”  
  
Kotori sighed. “I don’t know. Kissing you was familiar and gentle and you made me feel safe. But with Maki-chan, I feel like I’m on fire. When we were in the on call room it got so heated she took her scrub top off. And my shirt ended up undone.”  
  
“Sounds like you like her.” Nico smirked, drawing back slightly. “Just give it some time. You’ll figure it out.”  
  
“You’re probably right.” Kotori said, drawing back a bit more. She nodded resolutely to herself. No matter what her feelings were she would figure them out in time. She felt Nico’s hands go to her back, drawing slow circles on her back and shoulders. She couldn’t help but moan softly as she leaned into the model’s delicate fingers.  
  
Nico smirked, noticing the torn look on Kotor’s face. “Relax, just enjoy this.” She murmured as she leaned and pressed a gentle kiss to Kotori’s neck. She felt a very slight nod of agreement.  
  
Kotori closed her eyes, giving Nico’s lips more across to her neck only to feel the girl pull away slightly. She opened her eyes to be met with a heated gaze.  
  
“We don’t have to go further ya know? You really like Maki and we are just messing around.”  
  
“I don’t know my feelings Nico-chan...I don’t even know hers...right now I just want a distraction not an affair.”  
  
“Well I am a good distraction.” Nico smiled before kissing the girls lips softly “I’ll distract you from anything I can. What are special friends for?”  
  
Kotori snorted and laughed, Nico soon joining in. “Special. Way to ruin the mood, Nico-chan.”  
  
“Yep, back to work, Kotori.”  
  
“But I don’t wanna…”  
  
Nico rolled her eyes. “You need to finish my skirt.”  
  
“Fine , fine.” Kotori rolled her eyes and went back to what she was doing.  
  
\-----  
  
Kotori knocked on Maki’s front door, her phone held loosely in her hand. She could barely believe how difficult it was to navigate the streets of Tokyo. She would never have gotten there at all had it not been for google maps.  
  
The door opened and Maki apparead in front of her. Kotori’s eyes widened. Maki was wearing makeup, diamond earrings and a tight black strappy midi dress. Her hair was styled, her long bangs covering her right eye. Looking down, Kotori noticed that Maki’s feet were bare.  
  
Kotori barely had time to realize she had never noticed that Maki had grown in side bangs when Maki pulled her in, hugging her. Kotori’s breath caught as the taller girl’s body pushed against her own. She reached back, grasping the door and pushed it closed behind her. As soon as she’d done so she wrapped her arms around Maki’s waist, hugging her back.  
  
She didn’t speak for a few long moments as Maki held onto her until the girl in question pulled away.  
  
“I’m glad you came.” Maki said softly. “I’m sorry I look a mess. My parents always expect me to dress up for these things. Don’t worry, I wore a sweater over the dress so I was still modest. Nijima though…” Her eyes widened as Kotori growled. “He didn’t do anything! Just kept staring at my...ugh. Come on. I’ll get out of this, you go to the living room.”  
  
“Wait.” Kotori gently drew Maki back to her. “I like you in this.”  
  
Maki blushed as her hand went to her hair.  
  
Kotori noticed the bracelet Maki was wearing. There was no ring on her finger.  
  
Maki leaned into Kotori, pressing their foreheads together and she let out a soft sigh.  
  
“So you gonna pick up my pieces?” Maki whispered, lightly gripping Kotori’s hand in the small space between them. “I didn’t get drunk off my ass this time.”  
  
“You saying you did last time?” Kotori replied, trying to sound as casual as possible.  
  
Maki’s lips turned up and she gave a slight shake of her head. She let go of Kotori’s hand and turned, walking to her room.  
  
Kotori’s eyes widened as she took in the sway of Maki’s hips. Since when had Maki walked like that?  
  
“Must be the dress…” She muttered to herself, shaking her head. She let out a soft sigh and glanced around. She settled on sitting down on the couch to wait for Maki to finish getting changed in the bedroom.  
  
She took a seat, glancing once more around the spacious apartment. She couldn’t help but think that it suited Maki perfectly.  
  
She heard the pad of footsteps after a few minutes and looked up only to see Maki appear in the doorway in a pair of cotton pajama pants with no shirt. She was simply wearing a black strapless bra. “Uh…”  
  
“Sorry, you’re um...sitting on my top. I left it there. I was going to get changed but you got here before I could.” Maki said sheepishly as she stepped forward.  
  
“O-Oh.” Kotori bolted off of the couch and looked down at where she had been sitting. Indeed there was a white top there. She quickly picked it up and tossed it toward Maki. “Sorry.”  
  
“It’s fine.” Maki said with a slight shake of her head. As Kotori looked away, blushing, she slid on her top. “So Sochu or European wine?”  
  
Kotori chanced a glance back at Maki. She was relieved to see the intern was clothed. “What else do you have?”  
  
“I’ve got champagne. My father got it for me after graduation and I never opened it.”  
  
Kotori considered that for a moment. “Sochu is fine.”  
  
“Right.” Maki nodded before she turned and walked into the kitchen to fetch their drinks. She sighed to herself as she poured them. She tended to drink alone after these dinners or forced sleepovers with Nijima. Thankfully that only occurred once a month and tonight was not one of those nights.  
  
Maki picked up the drinks and went back to the living room where she found Kotori sitting on the couch once again, her hands clasped in her lap. “What’s wrong?”  
  
“What? Nothing!” Kotori exclaimed quickly, straightening up at the sight of Maki. “Why would anything be wrong?”  
  
“You look nervous.” Maki sat down and offered one of the drinks to Kotori. “I don’t bite you know. Unless I have you pinned down that is.”  
  
Kotori blushed and took the drink from Maki. “Thanks. Um...I’m not nervous. I was just thinking about something else.”  
  
“Oh.” Maki leaned back into the couch and sipped at her drink. “You’re staying over tonight, aren’t you?”  
  
“I am?”  
  
“Yeah. If you’re going to be drinking…” Maki said, her brow furrowing. She glanced over at the clock. “It’s going to be dark soon and I don’t want you to walk home alone if you’re drunk. Anything could happen.”  
  
“R-Right. I can sleep on the couch?” Kotori asked carefully.  
  
“Sleep next to me!” Maki pleaded, leaning in slightly. “Please!”  
  
“Maki-chan…” Kotori let out a yelp when Maki grabbed her arm and pulled her forward. She tumbled into Maki, almost falling into her lap. She gasped softly as Maki’s lips ghosted the skin of her neck. “Maki-chan…”  
  
Maki slipped her arm around Kotori’s shoulders, her other hand still loosely holding onto her drink. If she was honest she didn’t really want to drink it. She didn’t know what she was doing with Kotori either though. All she knew was that she didn’t want to go back to what it had been like before when they’d hardly ever contacted each other. She felt the need to keep Kotori close to her.  
  
“I don’t ever want to go back. I missed you. I miss Muse. Just please, sleep in my bed with me. I don’t want to be alone anymore. I’m lonely, Kotori. I’m miserable.”  
  
Kotori swallowed thickly. “What do you...want to do?”  
  
“I-I don’t know, I just…”  
  
Kotori cut Maki off, gently pressing her lips to the redhead’s. She told herself once again that it wasn’t serious, it was just casual. It had to be, after all. Her free hand, which wasn’t holding onto her drink, raised up to press lightly against Maki’s cheek, her thumb mindlessly rubbing over the soft, warm skin.  
  
She heard a soft clink and then suddenly her drink was being taken from her. A moment later she was pushed roughly down onto the couch. The intern followed her, her lips going to Kotori’s neck to trail kissed over her jaw, neck and shoulder.  
  
She felt hands go to her blouse, roughly pulling each side apart. Buttons scattered and Kotori let out a low moan as Maki’s cool hands slipped into her light green lacy bra.  
  
Maki pulled back suddenly at the sound, her eyes wide. “I’m sorry I know I’m not supposed to go further but I-I…”  
  
“No going back, right?” Kotori whispered, her resolve fading. “No sex. But you are allowed to explore…”  
  
Maki growled and pressed her lips back to Kotori’s neck, her fingers moving tentatively over Kotori’s breasts. “I want you.”  
  
Kotori shivered at those words. Maki just wanted her body. The girl had to be frustrated having to pretend to be straight. And everything else her parents wanted her to be. She gasped as Maki’s teeth scraped against her neck and reached down, tugging Maki’s shirt up.  
  
Without a care Maki shrugged the shirt off, tossing it to the floor with the glass she’d accidentally dropped a moment ago. She kissed Kotori hard, feeling the young woman’s hands run down her sides and then back up her front, clearly trying to touch everywhere she could. She had to admit it was nice to feel wanted by someone she wanted back, even if it was only physical.  
  
Kotori’s hands, which trailed up over her breast and chest were delicate, not rough like Nijima. Her lips were soft and tasted like strawberry lip gloss, they weren’t chapped and sometimes chipped.  
  
She noticed Kotori’s hands hesitating at her chest and drew back just slightly. “It’s okay.” She whispered encouragingly. “You can can explore too.”  
  
Kotori quickly kissed Maki again, her hands gripping the strapless bra to tug it down. She couldn’t see what she was doing like she would have wanted to but she let her hands map out Maki’s chest instead and felt the redhead whimper softly against her lips.  
  
“Maki-chan.” Kotori mumbled between kisses. “Has Nijima ever…”  
  
“Never.” Maki replied with a shake of her head. “He never gets to touch me without clothes. Only you have...so far.”  
  
“Good.” Kotori mumbled though she wasn’t even sure herself of the meaning attached to her response. She wasn’t ready to think about that just yet though Nico’s question as to whether she liked Maki came back to her. She shook the thought off and kissed Maki again to silence any response that came from the redhead. She drew her closer, noticing how toned Maki’s body really was as her fingers skimmed over her abdomen. She was just as toned as Kotori’s ex had been but Maki was still much softer and curvier. It only made Kotori want her all the more.  
  
“Maki-chan.” Kotori turned her head slightly, her heart racing. She resisted Maki’s attempts to kiss her again. “We should stop.”  
  
“Why?” Maki pouted, lightly pinning Kotori’s hands to the couch. She made sure to keep her grip loose enough to allow Kotori to pull away if she wanted to. “Don’t you want this too?”  
  
Kotori was silent for a moment before she managed to reply. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”  
  
Maki stared at Kotori for a long few seconds, her eyes slowly returning to normal. “You’re right. I don’t know what this is either, all I know is I’m seriously attracted to you. I like you, I just don’t know how much. I did have a crush on you, remember?”  
  
“Same with me.” Kotori said softly, relieved that Maki agreed. “I don’t know how much I like you or if this is just an infatuation we’re both experiencing.”  
  
Maki leaned in and gently kissed Kotori’s lips. “Whatever it is, I don’t want to lose it...not now.”  
  
Kotori drew Maki close to her, breathing in her coffee and wine scent, her heart slowly steadying.  
  
\-----  
  
Nico sipped at her coffee, leaning back against Kotori’s front door as the girl in question walked toward her, yawning into her hand. “Good night?”  
  
“I’m going to die because we haven’t screwed yet.”  
  
“Wow, extreme foreplay.” Nico raised an eyebrow at the comment. “Too bad you have two of your friends who drive your hormones crazy.”  
  
Kotori narrowed her eyes as she took her keys out of her pocket. “Don’t even think about trying anything.”

Nico smirked in response. “Relax. Not today, I’m in a chipper mood. I’m meeting up with Nozomi. Woman found where my secret apartment is. You want to come? You can bring your girlfriend.”  
  
“Nico! We’re not together, she has a...argh. A fiance.” Kotori unlocked her door, letting herself into her apartment . Nico trailed in after, closing the door behind them.  
  
“A fiance she has no physical or emotional interest in.”  
  
“True.” Kotori conceded hesitantly. “I’ll ask her. Why don’t you come with me to the hospital for lunch? You two need to talk.”  
  
“Ugh.” Nico rolled her eyes. “Us together only causes drama, remember?”  
  
“Please?” Kotori leaned down and pressed her lips to Nico’s, hoping the new trick would work. Pulling away she was satisfied with Nico’s frown and flushed cheeks.  
  
“Fine…”  
  
“I like this benefits thing. It gets you to do things you normally wouldn’t.” Kotori said lightly, a small smile tugging at her lips.  
  
Nico groaned. “Whatever. You’re lucky you’re hot.”  
  
Kotori giggled softly and ventured further into the apartment, tossing her bag down.  
  
Nico sighed and threw her empty coffee cup into the trash. “So anything interesting happen?”  
  
Kotori frowned. “It’s still the same...or not. It’s just confusing, you know? She’s lonely and miserable. She misses Muse.”  
  
“That’s why I’m asking you to come out with me and Nozomi! She’ll bring Eli, I’m sure and I’m sure she’ll maybe even bring Honoka and Umi! We need to get all of us together. It’s been way too long.”  
  
“Well Rin is in the USA and Hanayo is down in Kyoto.” Kotori said with a sullen sigh.  
  
“Well almost all of us.” Nico reasoned with a shrug of her shoulders. “It’ll be fun, come on. And it’ll be good for Maki.”  
  
“Fine.” Kotori said with a roll of her eyes. “For Maki-chan.”  
  
Nico smirked smugly. “Good.”  
  
“You’re still coming for lunch.” Kotori pointed out, raising and eyebrow.  
  
“Damn it!”  
  
Kotori smiled at the response. “I’m going to get changed. Just...make yourself at home, I guess.”  
  
“Thanks.” Nico said with an amused shake of her head. She watched as Kotori turned to walk into the bedroom. “That wasn’t what you were wearing last night.”  
  
“Um...Maki-chan got...well…” Kotori nodded to her bag. “She tore my shirt open. I’ll have to sew more buttons on.”  
  
“Hot damn, she’s aggressive.”  
  
“It’s really hot.”  
  
“Yeah, I can’t do that.” Nico said matter of factly. “Sorry but no ripping from me.”  
  
“Well it’s a real turn on but that’s fine. You have things that...turn me on too that Maki doesn’t have.” Kotori said vaguely.  
  
“Like wha…?” Before Nico could finish speaking Kotori disappeared into the bedroom. “Damn it.”  
  
She slumped onto the couch and lay there for a couple of minutes until she heard a sound. She looked up as Kotori appeared wearing a towel. “Now you’re just annoying me.”  
  
“I’m walking to the bathroom!” Kotori exclaimed defensively.  
  
“Yeah, yeah. Go get off and then we can go.”  
  
“Fine, I’m going. You better be ready to go when I get back though.” Kotori called over her shoulder as she headed for the bathroom.  
  
\---  
  
“Where are they?” Kotori asked impatiently as she glanced toward the door. “They were meant to be here thirty minutes ago.”  
  
“You know how Honoka is. They probably ended up making out.” Nozomi quipped with a smirk from her position on the couch opposite. “I don’t think they’ve been on time for a group meeting since high school.”  
  
“Nozomi, that’s…” Eli paused, thinking about it. “She’s probably right.”  
  
“Of course I’m right, I’m always…”  
  
At that moment there was a knock at the door.  
  
Nico paced across the room to answer it and sure enough Honoka and Umi walked into the apartment, Umi’s hair slightly askew and her top two buttons of her shirt undone. Maki trailed in after them in her hoodie and scrubs, her hands shoved into her pockets.  
  
“Maki-chan, you’re here!” Kotori exclaimed in relief, drawing Maki’s attention toward her.  
  
Maki pouted at the sight of Kotori leaning into Nico, her head resting on Nico’s shoulder. “Yeah. Sorry I was late. I got held up at work.”  
  
“That’s okay.”  
  
“Um...we got held up too.” Umi said, blushing as she shuffled into the room, tugging Honoka with her.  
  
“Maki-chan, could you elaborate on what held you up?” Kotori narrowed her eyes at Maki’s swollen lips.  
  
Maki shook her head and walked off to the bathroom, wiping her mouth.  
  
“Well that was rude.” Nico grumbled, watching Maki go.  
  
Nozomi frowned as she watched Maki leave. “Her fiance really doesn’t have a clue does he?”  
  
“I told him to stop doing that.” Kotori growled in irritation. She moved to follow Maki only for Nico to grab her wrist.  
  
“You need to calm down first.” Nico said, shaking her head. “Come with me.”  
  
Kotori frowned but didn’t argue as Nico led her from the room and into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. “I should go and talk to her.”  
  
“Not until you’ve calmed down.” Nico said patiently. “You know how she is, she’s probably locked herself in the bathroom by now.”  
  
Kotori groaned and sank down onto the edge of the bed. She knew that Nico was right. “This is such a mess.”  
  
Nico raised an eyebrow. “You sure you don’t know how you feel about her? I’d say it’s obvious.”  
  
“It’s not. Don’t say that.” Kotori sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. “I just don’t like the way he treats her, that’s all. And I hate that he forces himself on her.”

  
Nico nodded in agreement. “I do too. But we can’t be there all of the time. Maki’s gonna have to deal with the problem once and for all eventually.”  
  
“Yeah.” Kotori muttered, glancing to the side. She knew that Nico was right about that. She leaned forward, burying her head in her hands.  
  
A moment later she felt hands press against her shoulders. She let Nico push her back onto the bed and climb on top of her, straddling her stomach. She blinked up at ruby eyes in confusion.  
  
“Relax.” Nico whispered.  
  
Kotori frowned. “I don’t know how…”  
  
Nico slowly leaned in and pressed her lips to Kotori’s forehead before moving them to kiss the tip of her nose and then finally her lips.  
  
Kotori felt her breath hitch at the slow sensual touch of Nico’s lips. When Nico drew away after a moment Kotori fought the urge to chase the kiss, settling for staring up at Nico instead.  
  
“Do you feel better?” Nico murmured, gently brushing Kotori’s hair from her face.  
  
Kotori nodded silently in response.  
  
“Good.” Nico leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to Kotori’s cheek. “Now go and talk to your girlfriend.”  
  
“She’s not my girlfriend.” Kotori muttered as Nico moved off of her. She pushed herself into a sitting position and then stood from the bed, heading for the door. “Thank you, Nico-chan.”  
  
“Anytime.”  
  
Kotori smiled softly at the response and left the room. She went to the bathroom where she found Honoka leaning against the door.  
  
“She won’t come out.” Honoka said when she saw Kotori approaching.  
  
“It’s okay, I’ve got this.” Kotori said with a shake of her head. She waited until Honoka moved out of the way before she rapped lightly on the bathroom door herself. “Maki-chan, open the door. It’s just me.”  
  
There was a moment of silence before the lock clicked and the door inched open.  
  
Kotori sighed in relief and glanced at Honoka before she let herself into the bathroom. She shut the door behind her, her gaze shifting toward Maki. “Are you okay?”  
  
Maki gave a slight shake of her head, crossing her arms firmly in front of her chest. “I don’t like what he does to me either, you know. I wish I could just...leave him but it’s more complicated than that. I don’t need you or Nico-chan to tell me this is wrong.”  
  
“I know. I’m sorry.” Kotori said softly, her stomach sinking.  
  
“Just…” Maki stepped closer and lightly grasped Kotori’s shoulders but the boldness of the action was negated by the uncertain look in her eyes. “Just get his taste off of me. I’m sorry. I just feel him everywhere. He even got my shirt off, Kotori. I was so distracted and he just cornered me.”  
  
Kotori felt sickened by the information though she did her best not to let Maki see it. She nodded and gently cupped Maki’s face in her hands. She leaned closer, kissing Maki like Nico had kissed her earlier. Slow and unhurried, like she wanted to bask in the simple feeling of their lips pressed together for as long as she could.

She felt Maki’s arms go around her neck and she planted her hand on the intern’s back, tugging her close so that they were pressed flush together. A slight breath tickled her lips as Maki exhaled through her nose and Kotori felt her lips turn up at the feeling. She really did like kissing Maki though she wasn’t sure what that meant. Or if it was a good idea to let it mean anything. As Maki had said, the situation was complicated. She couldn’t just leave her fiance.  
  
She felt a brush against her lip and parted them to let Maki deepen the kiss. The grip Maki had on her tightened and then shifted, Maki’s hands moving to press against her shoulders.  
  
Kotori gasped softly as Maki pushed her back against the wall next to the door. She could only hope that Honoka wasn’t on the other side. She felt Maki’s hands shift from her shoulders and for a few long moments they didn’t touch her. Suddenly Maki pulled away and Kotori hummed in protest only to see Maki tug her own shirt off.  
  
Maki’s kissed Kotori again, grabbing her hand. Kotori felt it being tugged up between them and then Maki was pressing it to her own chest.  
  
Kotori moaned at the unexpected sensation and turned her head to break the kiss. “M-Maki-chan, we have to be quiet.”  
  
“You’re the one making the noise.” Maki replied, turning her attention to Kotori’s neck. She nipped lightly at the area before soothing it with her tongue.  
  
Kotori growled under her breath and grasped Maki’s arms, carefully reversing their positions. She didn’t want to startle Maki or make her feel out of control of the situation but she wanted Maki to know that she wanted what was happening as much as Maki herself did.  
  
She pressed herself close to Maki and kissed her deeply, her hand going back to Maki’s chest. Her other hand trailed down over the curve of Maki’s hip and she nudged her leg between Maki’s thighs.  
  
“Kotori.” Maki gasped softly, gripping Kotori’s shoulders.  
  
Kotori smirked victoriously at the sound and kissed Maki once more. She knew she had to keep herself fairly in control and that she couldn’t go too far but to her Maki was addictive. She cursed herself for not having made a move earlier even though they had both had crushes on each other in high school.  
  
“Kotori?” Umi’s voice called out along with a couple of knocks at the bathroom door. “Is everything okay in there?”  
  
Kotori quickly drew away from Maki. “Y-Yeah, everything’s fine! We’ll be out in a minute.”  
  
Maki sighed at the prospect of going back out there. “We don’t have to, right?”  
  
Kotori bit her lip, glancing at the door. “Yeah. We should. They’ll be wondering where we are a-and we don’t want them to think there’s something going on between us.”  
  
Maki listened to Umi’s footsteps fading away. “Will you come to my place tonight? Or are you busy?”  
  
“Uh…” Kotori hesitated, wondering if Nico had planned to stay over that night. “I’ll try. Put your shirt on.  I’ll go out first.”  
  
Maki didn’t have time to respond before Kotori kissed her swiftly and then pulled away to leave the bathroom. She quickly put her shirt on when she was left alone and pressed a hand to her flushed cheek. She wasn’t sure what it was about kissing Kotori that got her so worked up. She’d never felt like that before.  
  
Taking a deep breath she left the bathroom.  
  
\----  
  
“Are you hungry?” Maki asked as she watched Kotori sink down onto the couch. After Kotori had briefly spoken to Nico they had decided that Kotori would just go with Maki back to her apartment rather than stopping by later. “I could make you something...I don’t think I have any food in the fridge right now though. Um...I could order something?”  
  
“I’m fine, don’t worry.” Kotori said with a soft smile as she looked up at Maki. “Come and sit with me for a minute, Maki-chan. I want to ask you something.”  
  
“Okay.” Maki was nervous about it but she went to Kotori, sitting down next to her. “What is it?”  
  
“I was just wondering...if there’s anyone else you want to kiss besides from me.” Kotori said honestly, trying to ignore how embarrassed she felt about the question. “Or...have you ever kissed any other girl?”  
  
“Has Nico been talking to you?” Maki asked suspiciously. When she noticed the confused look on Kotori’s face she sighed. “Right. Um...I did go out with someone for a while in college. Well before I had to break up with her. But it was never this...emotional. I never felt as much...passion, I guess for her. It was much more innocent with her. This is the first time I’ve ever been this in need and well...the first time I’ve really liked someone. Ugh, it doesn’t make sense, does it?”  
  
“I think I know what you mean.” Kotori said hesitantly. She reached out and gently took Maki’s hand. “I feel a lot when I’m with you too, Maki-chan. I care about you a lot and I’m...really _really_ attracted to you.”  
  
Maki blushed in response. “Good, I…”  
  
“Maki-chan.” Kotori interrupted, effectively silencing Maki. “I have to tell you um...you’re not the only person I’m...doing this with at the minute.”  
  
“I’m...not?” Maki asked, surprise filtering into her voice. “Your ex…?”  
  
Kotori shook her head. “Nico-chan. I’m...I don’t know, attracted to her. And she makes me feel safe and cared for.”  
  
“I care about you.” Maki said, her voice lowering to a whisper.  
  
“I know but...you have your own stuff going on and I-I have a lot at the minute too. I guess in a way...Nico-chan is to me, what I’m trying to be for you.” Kotori squeezed Maki’s hand, hoping she would understand.  
  
Maki looked down at her lap, trying to ignore the odd feeling of jealousy that niggled at her. She wasn’t in a relationship with Kotori so she shouldn’t be jealous. She knew that. “Do you like her?”  
  
“As a friend...I think.”  
  
“I like you as more than a friend but less than a lover.” Maki said quietly. “Does that make sense?”  
  
“Yeah.” Kotori said with a slight laugh. “Um...it’s kind of like what Nico and I are to each other. Friends with benefits. Because you like me as a friend but you’re attracted to me at the same time, right?”  
  
“Right. Yeah.” Maki said, nodding vaguely. She wasn’t sure if that was right but she figured that Kotori knew better than her. “Is that what you feel for me?”  
  
Kotori took a deep breath. She wasn’t sure about that. “I don’t know.” She settled for saying honestly. “I’m still figuring things out. With you and with Nico-chan. But either way, I’m attracted to you. So we can keep...doing this until you decide you want to stop.”  
  
Maki thought about that for a moment before she pushed Kotori down to the couch and crawled on top of her. She felt Kotori’s hands settle lightly at her waist. “Ever went further with Nico-chan?”  
  
Kotori shook her head. “I don’t go as far with Nico-chan as I do with you. Just kissing, that’s all.”  
  
Maki felt her heart lurch slightly but ignore it. She didn’t want to read too much into what it meant. “So where do we have to draw the line?”  
  
Kotori felt her face flush at the idea that it was something Maki was wondering about. “Um...well we can’t have sex. So I can’t touch you...you know, under your pants.”  
  
Maki smirked as she set about slowly unbuttoning Kotori’s shirt. “Over the pants is okay though? So is grinding and touching your chest. And...using my mouth on your chest?”  
  
Kotori was sure that she was blushing furiously by that point. “W-Well I guess...if you want to.”  
  
“I want to.” Maki slipped her hand under Kotori’s back and fiddled with her bra strap for a moment before finding the latch to flick it open. She let Kotori sit up and quickly pushed off her shirt and bra for her before easing her back down onto the couch.  
  
Kotori’s breath hitched as she felt Maki lean in, the girl’s mouth finding it’s way to her breast as she cupped it in her hand. She felt her breathing grow shallow as Maki lightly sucked at the soft skin of her breast, surely leaving a mark in her wake.  
  
Kotori couldn’t say that she especially minded the idea of being marked by Maki. In fact if anything it made her heart race. She let her hand move down, fingers threading lightly into Maki’s red hair as the young woman took a nipple between her lips.  
  
“Maki-chan.” Kotori gasped, her back arching slightly. She closed her eyes, biting her lip to keep herself quiet. She could feel Maki smirking against her skin but she didn’t say anything about it. Maki was right to be smug. Kotori had no idea how she was so good with her mouth without any experience. She clenched her teeth as Maki nibbled lightly only for the girl to stop suddenly.  
  
“Maki-chan?”  
  
Maki slowly pulled away, her eyes flitting up to Kotori. “Do you think I’m broken?” She continued at the look on Kotori’s face. “Sometimes I don’t think I deserve anyone. I mean I did break Raven’s sister’s heart. Even though it was mutual. Maybe I deserve this loveless marriage. Fuck, is what we’re doing wrong? You would be better of with Nico-chan. She’s more stable than me.”  
  
“Stop that.” Kotori demanded gently, reaching up to brush her fingertips over Maki’s jaw. “Let me stitch your heart, Maki-chan. I’m a designer. If I can fix a dress, I can fix a heart, huh?”  
  
Maki’s brow furrowed. “But you don’t love me. How can you?”  
  
“Go on a date with me and we’ll see what happens.”  
  
“I’m engaged.”  
  
“I don’t give a fucking damn.”  
  
Maki blinked at the irritation in Kotori’s voice. She knew it wasn’t directed at her. “One date?”  
  
“One date.” Kotori confirmed with a nod. “We need to figure this out.”  
  
"If you go on a date with me promise me you'll go on that date with Nico-chan too....I know you’re telling me she doesn't feel anything for you but I think you need to go on one date with each of us...or several...or...ugh.” Maki buried her face in her hands. She was horrible on dates. Kotori could ask Itsuki about that. She was horrible at dates and yet Itsuki found her awkwardness charming.  
  
“Several dates, huh?” Kotori teased. “Does Maki-chan want to go on several dates with me?”  
  
Maki felt her face redden as her mind was flooded with images of Kotori in a cute dress or wearing her jacket. “M-Maybe.” She muttered, turning away.  
  
A moment later she felt Kotori’s bare chest press against her back as the girl hugged her. Her heart flipped in her chest and she closed her eyes wondering what she could possibly be feeling.  
  
“Okay. I’ll go on dates with both of you.” Kotori promised, giving Maki a light squeeze.

 

\---  
  
"Maki wants me to do what?! Is that girl feeling well? Maybe she should see her own doctor...."  
  
"Nico-chan!" Kotori exclaimed, wincing slightly at the incredulous tone of Nico’s voice.  
  
Nico shook her head. "I mean she wants BOTH of us to go on a date with you? I don't want to be your rebou..."  
  
"I KNOW I KNOW. But think of this as a experiment between friends.”  
  
Nico frowned."What will this even do?"  
  
Kotori hesitated for a moment before she answered. "It’ll help me figure out my feelings...all of us.”  
  
Nico sighed. "Kotori...you know I already did this sort of thing in France right?"  
  
“I didn’t know that...but it’s fine. Really.” Kotori said, watching Nico look away. “I’m not just experimenting. I really want to do this.”  
  
“This is crazy.” Nico said with an annoyed scowl. “Why would Maki even say you have to go on a date with me to go on a date with her?”  
  
Kotori shrugged her shoulders. “A date wouldn’t change anything. We’re just having fun. Besides it’s not like you like me or anything, right? It still doesn’t mean anything like you said.”  
  
Nico crossed her arms in front of her chest and glared at nothing in particular. She wasn’t sure why she was so angry but Maki’s idea had really annoyed her. “If you want to go on a date with her go ahead and go but we’re not.”  
  
Kotori raised an eyebrow, bemused by Nico’s reaction. “So you’re rejecting me?”  
  
“It’s not like that!” Nico exclaimed indignantly. “But I don’t want to be your damn rebound, I told you!”  
  
“It’s been over a month, Nico! I-I’m over Toshiro, just go on a date with me you stubborn girl!”  
  
“What if I’m not over my own damn ex?!” Nico yelled back. She fell silent for a moment as did Kotori, both breathing heavily.  
  
Kotori’s eyes widened as Nico’s eyes suddenly widened with tears. “I’m sorry.”  
  
Nico pressed a hand to her mouth, choking against a sob. “She used me. She fucking used me, Kotori.”  
  
Kotori moved forward and drew Nico close to her, wrapping her arms tightly around the shorter girl. She should have known that Nico had her own issues to deal with. “I’m sorry. I’m not using you, Nico-chan. I’m right here. I’m sorry. We don’t have to go on a date, you’re...you’re right. We don’t have to change anything. We’re fine as we are, right?”  
  
Nico nodded mutely into Kotori’s chest, her throat closed up with emotion. She sniffled softly and pressed herself closer to Kotori. She didn’t want anything between them to change. Being in another relationship would only bring pain but what she had with Kotori was less painful because they were both friends.  
  
Kotori closed her eyes, the scent of Nico’s perfume catching her nose. She wondered just what it was about Nico and Maki that had her feelings so jumbled. She had thought that going on a date with each of them might help her solve the problem but it seemed like it was going to be a lot harder than that.  
  
Nico looked up at Kotori and reached up to brush a strand of hair from the girl’s face. Guiltily, she leaned up and pressed her lips to Kotori’s cheek. “I’m sorry I yelled at you.”  
  
Kotori let out an emotion filled laugh, a tear sliding from the corner of her eye. “Don’t ever say you’re sorry. Neither you or Maki-chan should ever say that. I’m sorry I tried to make you do something you don’t want to do.”  
  
Nico shook her head and leaned in, gently kissing Kotori’s lips. She moved her hand to the back of Kotori’s head and pressed their foreheads together. “I don’t want anything to change. I like us the way we are now. That’s enough, right?”  
  
Kotori hummed slightly in response and hugged Nico tightly once more, trying to stem the flow of her own tears. She hated seeing Nico upset, just as much as she hated seeing Maki upset. She resisted the urge to apologize again, focusing on holding Nico close to her instead.  
  
\----  
  
“This movie is pretty bad, Maki-chan.” Kotori complained in amusement, her eyes fixated on the screen. She turned her head slightly to glance up at Maki and felt the hand that had been gently, if somewhat nervously stroking her hair move away slightly. She pouted in response to the movement. As far as she could tell the only positive about watching the romance movie Maki had put on was that she’d gotten to spend the past thirty minutes with her head in Maki’s lap.  
  
“We can turn if off if you want…” Maki said, her eyes wide. She hardly wanted to bore Kotori when in her opinion Kotori was doing her a favor by spending the night anyway.  
  
“I’m kidding, it’s fine.” Kotori giggled softly and turned her attention back to the television. She felt shaky fingers return to her hair and smiled softly, closing her eyes. “But I’m picking the next movie.”  
  
“Deal.” Maki breathed out, her heart hammering heavily against her chest.  
  
“I hope the…” Kotori sat up abruptly at the sound of a knock at the door. “Oh, that might be the food! I’ll get it!”  
  
“Wait but I said I’d pay!” Maki protested as Kotori swung her legs over the side of the couch and stood up. “Because I don’t have any food in the house and…”  
  
“It’s fine, it’s fine.” Kotori quickly waved Maki off only for the girl to grab her wrist and tug her gently back to the couch.

  
With a grin, Maki got up herself and hurried across the room to answer the door. When she opened it her smile quickly faded though. “Oh…”  
  
“A little cat told me that you’ve been hitting it off with someone else.” Hanayo growled, moving past Maki into the apartment. She saw Kotori stand up from the couch. “And why the hell didn’t you tell me you were engaged?”  
  
“Huh?!” Maki exclaimed in alarm. “Who told you about that?”  
  
“The engagement? Nozomi-chan. The other thing? Nico-chan. So you’re cheating on your soon to be husband? Or is this just a fling like with my boyfriend’s little sister?!”  
  
“It’s...it’s not like that!” Maki gritted her teeth. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Hanayo so just...just shut up!”  
  
Kotori cleared her throat. “Hanayo-chan, what an...unexpected surprise.”  
  
“It’s shocking to see you here as well since you haven’t been in contact with many of us. Especially me, Rin-chan and Maki-chan.”  
  
“Yeah, I’ve been a little busy.” Kotori said with a slight wince. “Sorry. I had a lot going on with work and other stuff. I meant to call but…”  
  
“Save it. I’m only here to tell Maki-chan that I’ll be here for a couple of days. I’m at a hotel so don’t worry about me being here too long. But I want the truth, Maki.”  
  
Maki sighed. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay? You can come with Kotori to the hospital.”  
  
“Fine. We’ll talk then.” With one last glare at each of them Hanayo left through the still ajar door.  
  
Maki closed the door behind Hanayo and rested her head against it. “Fuck. I just wanted this night to be relaxing. Damn it.”  
  
Hearing Maki’s voice grow thick with emotion, Kotori got up and walked over, hugging Maki from behind. “It’s okay. You can do this tomorrow.”  
  
“I don’t want her to see Nijima.” Maki admitted. “If your reaction was bad, she’ll probably kill him. Hanayo has gotten a lot bolder if you haven’t noticed.”  
  
“It’ll be okay.” Kotori murmured. She had indeed noticing Hanayo’s tougher personality. “Don’t worry, Maki-chan. Let’s just relax tonight and we’ll think of something tomorrow.”  
  
Maki turned around, revealing tears on her cheeks.  
  
Kotori leaned in and kissed Maki’s cheeks, gently dabbing the tears away with her lips.  
  
Maki hugged Kotori tightly, squeezing her eyes shut. “Thank you for everything. For being a friend I truly need. And...crush.”  
  
Kotori felt herself blush at the comment and tightened her embrace.  
  
\-----  
  
“Hanayo-chan! Hanayo--chan, wait for me!”  
  
Hanayo turned in confusion to see Kotori jogging down the street after her. She sighed and slipped her hands into her pockets. She had forgotten their plan, she had just been in a hurry to get to the hospital.  
  
“I thought we were going together.” Kotori frowned when she finally caught up with Hanayo. She was breathing a little heavily, indicating that she’d been running to catch up.  
  
“I forgot.” Hanayo explained simply as she started walking again. She was already fairly close to the hospital so she felt somewhat guilty at having left Kotori behind. She looked the girl over, quirking an eyebrow. Kotori was wearing a skirt, she noticed and smelled like perfume. “You sure look pretty for a hospital date…”  
  
Kotori turned red and smoothed out her skirt as she walked toward the hospital at Hanayo’s side. “I-It’s nothing.”  
  
Hanayo shrugged and the two fell silent for a few long minutes. Neither really knew what to say to the other. Hanayo was still silently fuming about Kotori not contacting her and Kotori herself was wondering how she would keep what she’d been doing with Maki a secret from Hanayo.  
  
They reached the main hospital entrance and Kotori spotted Maki backed against the wall by a tall man. She sighed under her breath.  
  
“I don’t have time for this.” Maki was saying, leaning away from Nijima’s advances as much as she could. “Let me pass.”  
  
“Who’s the guy?” Hanayo mumbled under her breath.  
  
“Fiance.” Kotori answered simply as they got closer.  
  
Nijima sighed. “I just wanted to ask you to lun-”  
  
“Maki-chan!” Kotori called brighly. “Ready for lunch?”  
  
Maki took advantage of Nijima’s distraction and slipped under his arm, walking over to Kotori and Hanayo.  
  
Nijima frowned. “Hey Nishikino, I…”  
  
“Save it. Just go to one of the nurses and leave me be.” Maki said without turning around to face him again. She focused on Kotori instead. “Ready?”  
  
“Sure.” Kotori said carefully. Her hand twitched at her side, almost reaching for Maki’s to tug her along to where they were going but she held herself back, clenching her fist and nodded toward the street instead. “We’ll go somewhere not too far from here.”  
  
Maki nodded briefly and cast a brief glance at Hanayo. Her former classmate looked confused but not overly suspicious. She offered a slight smile that wasn’t returned and followed Kotori and Hanayo toward the street next to the hospital.  
  
Hanayo walked a few steps behind Kotori and Maki, watching as they walked together. She could see their hands brushing every now and then, Maki’s fingers twitching with every touch as if she wanted to grasp Kotori’s hand. Her brow furrowed in confusion as she wondered what was going on between the two of them. She’d known that Maki had a small crush on Kotori in high school but that was way back in the past. She sighed heavily and shook her head.  
  
She didn’t noticed Kotori had led them to a small cafe until the older girl was pushing the door open. She numbly followed Kotori and Maki inside and to a table, noticing the way Maki purposefully sat herself next to Kotori. She tried not to read too much into that, telling herself Maki probably didn’t want to be too close to her for the conversation they were about to have.  
  
“Why did you do it?” Hanayo asked bluntly when she sat down opposite Kotori and Maki. “Tell me the truth, Maki-chan. Itsuki wouldn’t come out of her room for a week!”  
  
Maki frowned and looked down at the table. She had known she had probably hurt Itsuki but she hadn’t paused to consider exactly how much. “I got a call from my father telling me that he spoke to one of his colleagues. He told me I had to meet him at the estate and be presentable. At that time I knew what he meant. I asked him why now and he said it was because I was starting my career. Taking my first steps in becoming a doctor. I was done with graduate school. He wanted me to…” Maki bit her lip, her eyes watering. “To be wed, Hanayo. It’s not like I wanted this in the first place! I-I’m the only child of his damn it. I had to go through with it. Even if ...if…”  
  
“YOU’RE GAY!”  
  
“Hanayo, not so loud!” Kotori hissed.  
  
“Shut up, Kotori!” Hanayo snapped, causing Kotori to flinch in surprise. “YOU CAN’T FUCKING LET HIM CONTROL YOU, MAKI! STAND UP FOR YOURSELF, DAMN IT!”  
  
Kotori cringed at the looks they were getting from the other people in the cafe but she was too stunned by Hanayo’s outburst to say anything.  
  
“I’m not here to talk about that.” Maki said, quickly dashing her tears away. She took a breath to compose herself. “I just wanted to explain why I did what I did to Itsuki. That’s all. We’re not talking about this. And it was mutual, Hanayo. She understood why.”  
  
Hanayo scowled. “Doesn’t explain why she thinks she was used.”  
  
“I DIDN’T USE HER!”  
  
Hanayo rolled her eyes. “Sure and you and Kotori aren’t mistresses.”  
  
“What?!” Kotori turned bright red at the suggestion. “W-What are you talking about? No, we’re not!”  
  
Hanayo leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Sure, whatever you say.”  
  
“Look let’s just...order.” Maki said meekly, refusing to meet Hanayo’s eyes. She couldn’t look at Kotori either. She flagged over a waitress and ordered a salad. She didn’t feel especially hungry. She didn’t listen as Kotori and Hanayo sullenly placed their orders.  
  
The waitress disappeared and Hanayo spoke up once more. “So that’s it then? You’re just done with Itsuki?”  
  
“Hanayo, it wasn’t a serious relationship. It was just a fling.”  
  
“So now you’ve moved onto someone else.” Hanayo said accusingly. She turned to stare at Kotori. “And you...aren’t you dating someone?!”  
  
“We’re not…”  
  
“Cut the crap, Kotori!”  
  
Kotori bit her lip. “Um...I was going to say we’re not together anymore. He broke up with me a while ago.”  
  
“Oh.” A hint of guilt  crossed Hanayo’s face.  
  
“She’s not my mistress.” Maki said, grasping Kotori’s hand beneath the table. “She’s my friend.”  
  
“Well you two sure act like you want to bang.” Hanayo quipped pointedly.  
  
“That’s none of your business. And we can do what we want, she’s single.”  
  
“You’re not.”  
  
Maki gritted her teeth. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. And since when are you Nijima’s best friend? You don’t even know him!”  
  
“I just think…”  
  
“I didn’t ask for your opinion.” Maki growled angrily. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”  
  
“Maki-chan.” Kotori murmured, squeezing Maki’s hand.  
  
Maki took a deep breath to calm herself. “Look, I’m sorry, Hanayo. But you don’t know the situation so you can’t judge me or Kotori. And whatever’s going on between us isn’t what you think. It really…” She paused unsurely. She didn’t know why she was arguing. “Just...please can we just eat, I already gave you an answer about Itsuki. I don’t want to talk about this right now.”  
  
Hanayo wanted to continue the discussion but the look on Maki’s face caused her to back off. “Fine. I guess you’re right, it’s none of my business. But if you want to explain it to me, I’m here.”  
  
Maki nodded silently in response.  
  
\----  
  
“Kotori.” Nico jogged a little to catch up with Kotori who was storming ahead of her, heading straight to the reception desk. “Maybe you should calm down a little.”  
  
Kotori didn’t hear what Nico said, too focused on where she was going to pay attention to her friend. Her heart hammered frantically against her chest as she paced forward to the reception desk.  
  
“Matsura Toshiro.” She said breathlessly when she reached the desk. “I’m his girlfriend, where is he?”  
  
Nico grimaced slightly at the use of the word girlfriend but she didn’t say anything.  
  
“He should be in his room now, I’ll show you to it.” A nurse from behind Kotori spoke, causing her to turn around. She offered the ashen haired girl a smile and beckoned for her to follow. “He said you might come.”  
  
Kotori couldn’t bring herself to reply as she anxiously followed the nurse down the hallway.  
  
Nico fell into step with Kotori. “Why did you say that back there?” She muttered.  
  
Kotori glanced at Nico. She had been forced to slow down because the nurse was walking fairly slowly. For some reason it calmed her just a little. “Well they won’t let me see him if I wasn’t...intimate with him.”  
  
Nico frowned. “Please don’t say that in front of me..”  
  
Kotori’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “S-Sorry.”  
  
“It’s fine.” Nico tentatively brushed her hand against Kotori’s before taking hold of it. Her eyes darted away. “You know I won’t let anything happen to him. Neither will the doctors.”  
  
Kotori blushed and clutched Nico’s hand back. She turned to face forward only to see a familiar intern walk into the room they were heading for. She vaguely noticed that Maki looked tired, her thick glasses were on and her hair pulled into a messy ponytail. As they entered the room, she gave Nico’s hand a squeeze and then released it.  
  
“Matsura-san.” The nurse said, pausing a few feet inside the door. “You have some visitors.”  
  
Toshiro looked up, his eyes widening at the sight of Kotori. “Kotori!”  
  
“Your girlfriend just couldn’t wait to see you.” The nurse said, a slightly joking lilt to her voice.

Kotori noticed Maki twitch.  
  
Toshiro winced at the sudden pain in his arm, which he had held out at his side, resting on an instrument tray. “Ow, ow…”  
  
Maki gritted her teeth as the nurse excused herself. “My hand slipped. Sorry.”  
  
“It’s okay, Nishikino-sensei.” Toshiro said even as his arm throbbed with pain.  
  
Kotori glanced down at his arm and instantly wished she hadn’t. There was a fairly deep cut stretching up his forearm. “What the hell did you do?!”  
  
“Accident at work.” Toshiro grimaced, looking away from his arm as Maki injected him with the anaesthetic.  
  
“What did you do? Put your arm in a damn printer?! You work in an office!”  
  
Toshiro smirked at the question. “More like...fell down the stairs. At least I didn’t break my arm.”  
  
“That’s besides the point.” Nico said, rolling her eyes. “You should watch where you’re…” She paused, noticing Maki seemed to be nodding off. “Damn, Maki. Did you get any sleep last night?”  
  
“Her fiance probably kept her up all night. Right, Maki-san?” One of the nurse’s, who seemed to know Maki quite well walked into the room. “Here are his test results.”  
  
Nico twitched at the comment as did Kotori.  
  
Maki numbly took the results though she looked like she felt sick. “Th-Thanks. I’m actually um...I’m going to find another intern to hand this off to.”  
  
As Maki left the room Kotori shot a regretful look at Toshiro before she followed Maki outside. She found the intern leaning against the wall, breathing heavily. “Hey. Maki-chan…”  
  
Maki looked up, frowning at the sight of Kotori. “Why aren’t you still in there?”  
  
“I was worried about you.” Kotori replied honestly, touching Maki’s arm. “Do you want to go somewhere? So we can talk?”  
  
“No, I just need to sleep.” Maki sighed, shaking her head. “I’m fine. Really. But what that damn woman said was a lie. I-I’m still a virgin so don’t worry, he hasn’t touched me like that.”  
  
“He won’t.”  
  
Maki sighed once more. “Just go back to your boyfriend.”  
  
“He’s my ex.”  
  
“Right…”  
  
“Maki.” Kotori gently took Maki’s hand in her own. “Do you still want to go on a date with me?”  
  
Maki blushed at the question. “Y-yes.”  
  
“Good.” Kotori beamed. “I’ll take you somewhere nice. I promise.”  
  
“I-I don’t mind where we go.” Maki said softly, squeezing the hand in her own. “I’ll like wherever you take me.”  
  
Kotori smiled and gave Maki a gentle hug. “Go and get some sleep, Maki-chan. I’ll come by later if you want?”  
  
“To the on call room?” Maki asked softly.  
  
“Sure. Of course.” Kotori answered brightly. “Go. You look exhausted.”  
  
“Alright.” Maki let go of Kotori’s hand and walked off toward the on call rooms.  
  
Kotori watched Maki go before she returned to the room where she found Nico sitting next to Toshiro.  
  
“So did they…?”  
  
“No.” Kotori shook her head. “Nothing to worry about, Nico-chan . How’s Toshiro?”  
  
“He’s a trooper. Waiting for the next doctor to come.”  
  
“I’m still here, you know.” Toshiro said with an amused roll of his eyes. “I’m fine. Um...thank you for coming. I thought you might but I wasn’t sure so…”  
  
“Of course I’d come. I’m glad you’re okay.” Kotori said honest, walking over to the other side of the bed. She pointedly avoided looking at his arm. “You’re gonna end up with a scar though.”  
  
Toshiro flashed her a warm smile. “That’s fine.”  
  
Nico frowned softly at the interaction between the two. It was definitely going to be a long day.  
  
“You can go if you want.” Toshiro said, nodding toward the door.  
  
Kotori scoffed and shook her head. “I’ll leave when you don’t have a gaping hole in your arm. For now you’ll have to get used to me being here.”  
  
Toshiro grinned as Kotori sat down next to him. “That’s not going to be hard.”  
  
Nico rolled her eyes in response but didn’t say anything.  
  
\----  
  
Kotori walked down the hallway with Nico at her side, their hands brushing every now and then between them. Nico had insisted that she walk Kotori to the on call room even though Kotori had told her she didn’t have to.  
  
“I’ll see you tomorrow then?” Kotori asked when they got to the on call room.  
  
“Yeah.” Nico moved toward Kotori without warning and cupped her face in her hands, kissing her hard. Kotori stumbled back a step, her back hitting the wall and Nico pressed close to her, her eyes squeezed shut. Feeling Kotori’s arms go around her, she slowly eased back. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”  
  
“R-Right…” Kotori closed her eyes as Nico pecked her once more on the lips. When Nico pulled away her arms fell to her sides and for a moment all she could do was watch the model walk away, her hips swaying. “Damn…”  
  
Kotori took a moment to compose herself before she opened the door and entered the dark room. Closing the door she saw empty beds mostly but one was occupied. A pair of glasses lay on the desk next to it, and sneakers on the floor too.  
  
She walked over, keeping her footsteps light and reached down to gently touch Maki’s shoulder only for her arm to be grabbed. She stumbled on top of the doctor who wrapped her arms around her waist and rolled onto her side, letting Kotori fall onto the bed next to her.  
  
“M-Maki-chan! How did you know it was me?”  
  
“Coffee and pastries.” Maki mumbled sleepily, burying her face in Kotori’s shoulder. She inhaled slowly, a smile tugging at her lips. “I love that smell.”  
  
Kotori felt her heart leap and then she noticed that Maki wasn’t wearing her scrub top. “Uh…”  
  
“Kick off your shoes, Kotori.” Maki instructed.  
  
Kotori did as she was asked without question, kicking her shoes off of her feet.  
  
“Pull off your shirt.” Maki instructed. “It gets so hot in this damn room.”  
  
Kotori sat up to pull her shirt off, tossing it to the floor. She was relieved that she had locked the door behind her at least. “I know, I noticed.”  
  
Maki looked up, her eyes briefly tracing Kotori’s torso before she pulled her close to her, hugging her tightly. “So did the other intern do their job?”  
  
“Maki-chan, what happened last night?” Kotori asked in concern, not answering Maki’s question.  
  
“I just had to keep focus. I wasn’t gonna let him catch me off guard, not after last time. What about you? How was being around your ex? Nico seemed miffed.”  
  
“It was fine.” Kotori answered vaguely. “Don’t worry about Nico-chan. She’s fine too.”  
  
“Don’t lie to me.” Maki whispered. “She seemed annoyed when I saw her. You two still that way too?”  
  
“Yes. She also doesn’t want to go on a date with me. Wow, I can’t believe I’m only good for fooling around with even though there’s no sex involved…” Kotori muttered to herself.  
  
Maki frowned before she turned to face Kotori. She gently let her hands trace along Kotori’s sides to her bra. “We’re going to go on a date. It’s her loss. Because I try every night and day not to just take you. But sex should be with someone special and I don’t want to hurt you.”  
  
Kotori leaned closer to Maki. “You won’t hurt me. Especially if I want it.”  
  
“Kotori…”  
  
Kotori gently kissed Maki’s lips but didn’t let herself linger. She drew away instead. “You’re right though. Sex should be with someone special. And I don’t want to hurt you either so we shouldn’t.”  
  
Maki’s lips turned downward into a frown. “I’d rather my first time be with you than with... _him_ . You wouldn’t hurt me at all.”  
  
Kotori felt her heart skip a beat in her chest and she briefly closed her eyes, wondering what it was she was feeling now. She wondered why she wanted it. Even Maki seemed to want it. But they’d already decided long ago where they would draw a line. “Think about it for a while, Maki-chan. I want you to think it through properly.”  
  
“I did think.” Maki said insistently. “Maybe it’s you who needs to think about it. I know we drew a line but like I say over and over again, I want you. I do.”  
  
Kotori felt herself blush at the comment. “I-I’ll think about it.”  
  
Maki nodded, content with the answer. “C-Can I kiss you?” She whispered hesitantly.  
  
“Yes.” Kotori leaned closer. “No need to ask, Maki-chan.”  
  
Maki closed the distance between Kotori and kissed her, threading her fingers into her hair. She knew she would have to hold herself back a bit but for now this was enough for her.  
  
\----  
  
“What do you think?” Kotori nervously smoothed her hands over the light green dress she was wearing, glancing nervously into the mirror. “Do you think it’s a little short?”  
  
Nico scoffed. “Come on. You look hot and you know it.”  
  
Kotori managed a small smile as she turned to face Nico. “You think so?”  
  
“Obviously.” Nico said with a smirk as she looked Kotori up and down. “Maki might pass out when she sees you.”  
  
“Well I don’t know about that…” Kotori nervously tucked her hair behind her ear and moved over to Nico, taking a seat on the bed next to her.  
  
“Damn intern better treat you well.” Nico mused, her gaze lingering on Kotori.  
  
Kotori chuckled softly and shook her head. “Other way around, Nico-chan. I’m treating her.”  
  
Nico smiled softly at the response. “You know what I mean. You deserve to be happy.”  
  
“So does she.” Kotori said, her brow furrowing at the thought of what Maki was going through. It was clear that the redhead wasn’t happy. “And so do you.”  
  
“I’m fine…”  
  
“Nico-chan…”  
  
“I said I’m fine!” Nico snapped, causing Kotori to flinch slightly. “I’m sorry. But I’m fine. There’s nothing wrong with me so can we please just drop it?”  
  
“Sure.” Kotori murmured, glancing away. “Whatever you want. I should be heading out soon anyway. I promised Maki I would meet her at her apartment.”  
  
“Well whatever you do, make her fall head over heels.” Nico leaned in, her hand going to the back of Kotori’s neck and she drew her into a deep kiss, pressing herself as close to the girl as she could. She felt Kotori’s hands go to her shoulders, clutching at her shirt and felt a soft whimper against her lips as she slipped her tongue past Kotori’s.  
  
After a moment she pulled back, just in time to see Kotori open her eyes.  
  
“You confuse me sometimes.” Kotori mumbled, slightly dazed from the unexpected kiss.  
  
“A lady always has to keep up her act, Kotori.” Nico smirked coyly before she got up and walked away.

Kotori once again watched as Nico’s hips swayed as she walked away. She pressed a hand to her chest. “I swear most men would kill for this kind of life. But I’m about to hyperventilate from too much kissing…”  
  
\----  
  
“Isn’t this kind of thing more for um...anniversaries?” Maki asked as Kotori steered her forwards by her shoulders. She couldn’t see where she was going thanks to the blindfold Kotori had made her put on and she had to admit it made her a little nervous. Not that she didn’t feel safe with Kotori. She did. Still, she would have liked to know where they were going.  
  
“Shhh, no talking or peeking!”  
  
Maki sighed. “Just where the hell are we going? Ugh, this better not ruin my eyeshadow.”  
  
Kotori stopped and gently turned Maki around before she reached up and carefully removed the blindfold so that she could look at Maki’s eyes. She had to admit, Maki had done an impeccable job with her makeup. And her hair, which she was wearing the same way she’d been when Kotori had last seen her in a dress. Her dress was equally stunning. Black and strapless this time. Nice four inch stilettos completed her look rather nicely.  
  
“You look perfect.” Kotori promised, slipping the blindfold back into her bag. “It’s just a little further anyway. Do you promise to keep your eyes closed?”  
  
“No.” Maki sighed when she saw Kotori pout. “Fine. Just a bit longer though.”  
  
“Thank you.” Kotori kissed Maki gently on the lips and when the redhead closed her eyes again she turned her around and steered her toward the building in front of them. She unlocked the door with the key she’d obtained and walked Maki through the empty hallways.  
  
Maki frowned in confusion as she was led forward, even going up a few flights of stairs before finally they emerged back into the warm evening air. “Kotori…?”  
  
Kotori leaned down and kissed Maki gently.  
  
Maki kissed Kotori back before she realized something and slowly drew back. “Wait, when did you get tall? I’m wearing heels.”  
  
“We’re here.” Kotori said with a soft smile, ignoring Maki’s question. She gestured to the right and Maki looked in that direction, her eyes widening when she saw where they were.  
  
“How did you…?”  
  
“I have connections.” Kotori said mysteriously as she gripped Maki’s hand. “What do you think?”  
  
“I think…” Maki paused, noticing the picnic blanket and basket laid out on the ground. She shook her head in awe. “When did you have the time to do all of this? It must have taken so long.”  
  
“I found time.” Kotori gasped as Maki turned and hugged her tightly. “Whoa. What’s this for.”  
  
“I love it.” Maki said sincerely, drawing away with a slight blush to her cheeks. “I mean it. This was...a really good idea.”  
  
Kotori smiled and tugged at Maki’s hand, leading her to sit down on the blanket.  
  
\---  
  
Kotori watched Maki through half-lidded eyes. She was lying on her side, watching the redhead. All had been silent for around twenty minutes or so now. It seemed that Maki was engrossed in watching the sky.  
  
Maki felt Kotori’s eyes on her and turned her head to look at her. “You really are a catch.” Maki whispered to Kotori. “Your ex was insane to break up with you.”  
  
She leaned in and kissed Kotori softly only for the girl to draw away from her after a second. “What’s wrong?”  
  
“Nothing, just…” Kotori turned to the basket, next to which their shoes lay. Reaching inside she pulled out another blanket and tossed it over the two of them. “It’s cold.”  
  
Maki shook her head in amusement and took Kotori’s face into her hands, kissing her again. Moving out of instinct, she crawled on top of Kotori and straddled her stomach. She felt Kotori’s hands come to rest lightly on her thighs. As she leaned down so that their chest pressed together she felt Kotori whimper softly.  
  
“Always so eager…” Kotori mumbled.  
  
“You make me want you.” Maki whispered, her lips barely brushing against Kotori’s. “Your heart is so kind, Kotori. Just like in high school.”  
  
“Don’t tease me.” Kotori looked up and Maki was taken aback to see tears in the girl’s eyes. “I want you, Maki-chan. I really do.” She had thought long and hard and while she wanted Nico in a way too, she wanted Maki more. She wanted to feel the redhead close to her, feel their skin pressed together. She reached up, brushing her hand lightly over Maki’s cheek. “He doesn’t deserve you.”  
  
Maki closed her eyes for a moment at the comment, her heart pounding against her chest. She could barely think past the mixture of emotions coursing through her. She leaned down and kissed Kotori’s cheek, dabbing at her tears with her lips. She never wanted to see Kotori in tears yet it was the most gorgeous sight she’d ever seen.  
  
Kotori wrapped her arms around Maki’s shoulders to keep her close. “Please. Please, I need your warmth, Maki-chan. I’m begging you.”  
  
Maki relented to her instincts and leaned in to kiss Kotori deeply. Feeling hands already reaching for the hem of her dress she followed suit, carefully sliding a hand under Kotori’s back to unzip her dress for her.

Kotori let Maki pull down the zipper of her dress but when Maki began to tug at the top of the dress to tug it down over her breasts, she finally said what was on her mind. “I-I’m not a virgin!”  
  
“What?” Maki paused what she had been doing, looking up at Kotori’s face. She had figured that would be the case anyway.  
  
“I mean I’m not a... _virgin_ virgin.” Kotori explained hesitantly. “I feel so weird because I did it with Torshiro. I’m sorry.”  
  
“It’s okay.” Maki mumbled, pressing her forehead to Kotori’s. “You don’t have to be sorry about that.”  
  
“It’s just…” Kotori swallowed thickly. “With you I’m...I just can’t control myself. Even with Nico-chan I can...sometimes. But you make my body react so strongly.”  
  
Maki tilted her head, a smirk tugging at her lips. Her hand went between them, nimble fingers unclipping Kotori’s bra at the front.  
  
Kotori whimpered, her hand still resting lightly on Maki’s thigh. “Let me feel you. You’re such a tease. I don’t want any teasing, I just want you. All night. Maki-chan...”  
  
Maki bit her lip as Kotori looked into her eyes. She shuddered slightly at how open Kotori was being and stiffly nodded. She still felt a little shaky but she was confident that she wouldn’t mess it up. She shuffled back a bit to give herself room to tug Kotori’s dress down to her ankles.  
  
Noticing Kotori shiver she moved back to her and kissed her gently, tugging the blanket up around them.  
  
Kotori let out a soft moan as Maki’s hands gently roamed down her sides. “You’re good with your hands.”  
  
“I’m a doctor.” Maki mumbled lightly against Kotori’s lips. “I know the human anatomy.”  
  
“Same for me as a designer.” Kotori replied quietly. She tugged at Maki’s dress. “I’d rather be more familiar with yours though.”  
  
Maki blushed and as quickly as she could she took off her dress, casting it to the side with Kotori’s. “Nobody’s gonna come up here, right?”  
  
“Nobody.” Kotori said distractedly, too busy unclipping Maki’s bra.  
  
“Kotori…”  
  
“I promise.” Kotori said sincerely, tugging Maki’s bra off. She tugged her down again, kissing her deeply. Her fingers slid into Maki’s hair, clenching slightly as she demandingly pressed her tongue against Maki’s lips. She felt Maki whimper slightly and almost smirked victoriously until she felt a hand slide into her underwear, fingers sliding through her folds. She gasped, drawing her lips away for a moment as her hips bucked.  
  
“How long were you wanting to touch me there?” Kotori teased lightly to distract from how flustered she was.  
  
“Since you let me use my mouth on your chest. Or since I saw that figure of yours maybe…” Maki’s lips went to Kotori neck.  
  
Kotori gritted her teeth, feeling Maki suck hard.  
  
“I don’t want this night to end.” Maki growled against Kotori’s neck, focusing intently on the warm skin beneath her lips and the even warmer flesh surrounding her fingers.  
  
“Neither do I.” Kotori mumbled, closing her eyes tightly. She could feel that Maki was leaving a mark. She was using her teeth to scrape against her skin, her tongue to ease the sting after. “Keep going, Maki-chan. Inside.”  
  
Maki hummed in response and after just a second of fumbling she managed to sink two fingers into Kotori, aided by how wet she was. They both gasped, Kotori at the feeling of being filled and Maki at the sudden snugness around her fingers.  
  
Kotori wrapped her arms around Maki’s shoulders, her hips bucking in time with the subtle movements of Maki’s fingers. She closed her eyes, letting herself get lost in the sensation.  
  
\-----  
  
“You didn’t tell me you were working today.”  
  
Kotori looked up as someone appeared in the open doorway of her office, a paper bag cradled in one arm. “Nico-chan! What are you doing here?”  
  
“I had a couple of hours spare so I thought I’d come and see what you’re up to.” Nico entered the room, closing the door behind her. She glanced at the drawings laid out on Kotori’s desk, noticing the pencils in the designers hand. “I can come back.”  
  
“No, it’s fine. I was just sketching. They’re just drafts, I’ll do it on the computer later.” Kotori carefully brushed some of the sketches to one side. “You’re not working today?”  
  
“I am but not until later.” Nico stopped next to Kotori’s desk and placed the paper bag down. “I figured you wouldn’t have eaten yet so I brought you lunch.”  
  
“Thanks, Nico-chan.” Kotori said with a bright smile. “Do you wanna stick around for a while? Oh, I have some new designs I want to try out on you…”  
  
“Maybe later.” Nico narrowed her eyes at Kotori. “You got laid, didn’t you?”  
  
Kotori’s eyes widened. “W-What?”  
  
“You’re glowing.” Nico observed, raising an eyebrow. “So you finally screwed Maki, huh?”  
  
“Well...the other way around actually.” Kotori said sheepishly. She bit her lip, watching Nico closely for any kind of reaction. Unfortunately for her Nico stared at her passively.  
  
“Huh.” Nico murmured after a moment. “So what do you feel for her?”  
  
Kotori shrugged her shoulders. She wished she knew that herself. “Stronger than friendship as of now. But it’s still too soon to call. Everything just feels right with her, I guess. Maybe it’s because we were friends before I was attracted to her. I don’t know.”  
  
Nico stared skeptically at Kotori. “Sounds like you like her.”  
  
“I don’t know.” Kotori sighed, shaking her head. “Being with her makes me happy. But I could say the same thing about you.”  
  
Nico’s lips turned up slightly at that and she glanced away. “So you still want to keep…?”  
  
“Yes.” Kotori confirmed without hesitating. She didn’t know what was happening between her and Maki but she did know that she didn’t want to stop whatever it was she was doing with Nico. “Actually I was going to ask you if you wanted to come over tonight. I could make dinner.”  
  
Nico smirked as Kotori reached out and took her hand, pulling her close. “Sounds like a date.”  
  
“Fine. Dinner and a movie then.” Kotori joked, tugging Nico closer to her. She wrapped her arms around the girl’s waist and tilted her head back to look up at her. “It’s only a date if you want it to be.”  
  
“We’ll just end up making out during the movie anyway.” Nico teased, resting her hands on Kotori’s shoulders. “You can’t keep your hands to yourself.”  
  
“Neither can you.” Kotori countered pointedly.  
  
“Well have you seen yourself lately?” Nico asked, raising an expectant eyebrow. “Nobody would blame me for not being able to keep my hands to myself. Especially when we could be doing more than just watching a movie.”  
  
“Fine. Dinner, moving and maybe we’ll make out.” Kotori settled, feeling Nico’s fingers running lightly through her hair. “You could stay over if you want to.”  
  
Nico swallowed thickly. “I’ll stay in the guest roo-”  
  
“No, you’re with me.” Kotori interrupted before Nico could get her words out. “Unless you don’t want to sleep with me?”  
  
“That’s a loaded question.” Nico muttered. She shook her head. “It’s fine, I guess. It’s been a while since I slept next to someone else though.”  
  
“Then who better to start with than me?” Kotori asked, smiling brightly.  
  
Nico bit her lip. She supposed it would be nice to sleep next to someone for a change. She cleared her throat, trying not to think of the prospect of Kotori snuggling close to her, her ample chest pressed against Nico. “Are you seeing Maki again today?”  
  
“I don’t think so. I’ll call her after work but I think she’s working tonight.” Kotori replied with a shake of her head. “So it’ll just be the two of us for tonight.”  
  
“Good.” Nico replied with a sigh of relief. “I can do without drama tonight and Maki _always_ brings it.”  
  
“She just has a lot going on…”  
  
“Yeah, yeah.” Nico glanced back at the door to make sure it was still closed before she leaned down and kissed Kotori briefly. “I have to get back but I’ll see you later tonight.”  
  
“Okay. Thanks for lunch, Nico-chan.” Kotori watched with a small smile as Nico waved her off and wandered toward the door. She really was in a fortunate position, between both Nico and Maki. She let out a sigh and went back to work.  
  
\----  
  
Kotori leaned back into the couch with a content sigh, her eyes half lidded as she stared at the television. She’d started the movie a few moments beforehand. “Dinner was good, Nico-chan.”  
  
“Your dessert was better.” Nico countered, glancing over at Kotori. “I didn’t know you could make cheesecake.”  
  
Kotori smiled mysteriously and shrugged her shoulders. “I know a thing or two about making desserts, that’s all. I’m not as good as you at cooking.”  
  
“Well that’s to be expected.” Nico’s answer earned her a light swat to the arm. “Hey, watch it! I’m trying to watch the movie here. I’m going to make some popcorn. Tell me if I miss anything.”  
  
“Right.” Kotori watched as Nico walked away to get the popcorn. She felt a buzz against her leg and automatically reached down, tugging her phone out of her pocket. She noticed she had a text from Maki.  
  
‘ _On call duty is such a pain in the ass_ .’  
  
Kotori smirked to herself and typed out a reply. _‘You chose the career._ ’  
  
Less than a minute later, Maki replied again. ‘ _I want to see you_ .’  
  
_‘You need to focus.’_ Kotor quickly typed back. She stared at the phone for a moment until Maki responded.  
  
‘ _I’m wearing my glasses. Are you?’_ _  
_ _  
_ Kotori shook her head in bemusement at the strange question. ‘ _Not at the moment. Where are you?’_ _  
_ _  
_ _‘On call room.’_ _  
_ _  
_ Kotori bit her lip for a moment. ‘ _Are you with anyone?’_ _  
_ _  
_ _‘Nope.’_ _  
_ _  
_ Kotori tilted her head at the response. _‘What are you doing?’_ _  
_ _  
_ _‘Masturbating.’_ _  
_ _  
_ Kotori’s eyes widened at the response and she almost dropped her phone just as a photo appeared on the screen. With shaky fingers she opened the photo to fill the screen. She cough violently at the sight of Maki without scrubs, her glasses skewed and her hair somewhat messy. She wore a smug smirk on her lips, made all the more alluring by the fact that she was biting her lower lip. Kotori could see in the picture that Maki’s hand was in her panties. She quickly clicked away from the picture.  
  
_‘I want to seeeeee you.’_ Was Maki’s following message. ‘ _I’m already two fingers in.’_ _  
_ _  
_ Kotori’s face turned crimson and she hastily shoved her phone back into her pocket before glancing around. Thankfully Nico was nowhere in sight. Her phone buzzed again and she took it out of her pocket, nervously opening the picture Maki had sent her. This time it was the redhead without her bra and panties.  
  
Kotori pressed a hand to her mouth to quieten a moan and rubbed her thighs together. “Damn it, Maki-chan…” She mumbled to herself.  
  
‘ _Kotori, I need you.’_ _  
_ _  
_ Kotori glanced to the doorway, briefly considering whether she should run all the way to the hospital. Usually when she wasn’t in the same room with Maki, Maki’s mind was filled with work and work alone. For it to be on sex was unusual. She bit the inside of her cheek. She couldn’t just leave Nico alone, especially when Nico had agreed to stay over at her request.  
  
‘ _What time do you get out?’_ Kotori text to Maki with shaky fingers.  
  
‘ _I’m here all freaking night.’_ Maki text back. ‘ _But since I had on call duty I can go into work late. It’s a thing they allow for interns sometimes.’_ _  
_ _  
_ _‘I’ll be there before noon.’_ Kotori promised despite the fact that she ached to rush to Maki’s side as soon as she could.  
  
_‘My place?’_ _  
_ _  
_ _‘YES.’_  
  
_‘I’ll still send you more pictures. If you ever show anyone I WILL punish you’_ _  
_ _  
_ Kotor briefly wondered if she should show Nozomi. ‘ _What kind of punishment?’_ _  
_ _  
_ _‘Wouldn’t you like to know?’_ Maki replied a couple of moments later. ‘ _I’m going to delete them from my phone. So you better keep yours safe.’_ _  
_ _  
_ “Who are you texting?”  
  
Kotori let out a yelp of alarm at the sound of Nico’s voice. She guiltily locked her phone screen and scrambled to put it in her pocket. “Just my mom!”  
  
“Is that why your face is red?” Nico sat down next to Kotori, bowl of popcorn in hand. She noticed Kotori twitch in response. “You okay?”  
  
“J-Just hot.” Kotori gulped.  
  
“I know I’m hot.” Nico slid over to Kotori on the couch and sat up to maneuver herself into the girl’s lap.  
  
“N-Nico-chan, what are you doing?”  
  
“Getting comfortable.” Nico leaned into Kotori, resting the popcorn on her own lap.  
  
Kotori bit down hard on her lip. She was way too sensitive after Maki. She blew out a slow breath, resting her head against the back of the couch as Nico shifted a little to get comfortable. “Ugh, can you stay still, Nico-chan?”  
  
Nico’s brow furrowed at the comment. “Seriously, what’s wrong?”  
  
“N-Nothing!” Kotori squeaked out.  
  
Nico turned and kissed Kotori soundly, effectively distracting the girl while she slid her hand into Kotor’s pocket. She plucked Kotori’s phone out and pulled away, unlocking the screen.  
  
“Nico-chan, do…” Kotori trailed off, groaning when Nico opened her messages with Maki. “Damn it.”  
  
Nico’s eyes widened in surprise for a moment before her expression turned to amusement. “She’s getting more daring. In an on call room?! Always the quiet ones, huh…?”  
  
“You can’t tell her you saw that, she’ll be so pissed.” Kotori pleaded, taking the phone back. She drew it close to her chest.  
  
“Why?” Nico smirked. “Don’t you want her to spank you?”  
  
“Not spanking. PUNISHMENT, Nico-chan!”  
  
“You’re right, she’ll withdraw the sex. Fine, I’ll keep it to myself.” Nico said with a roll of her eyes. “But first…” She set the phone and popcorn to the side and kissed Kotori deeply, her hand going down the other girl’s chest and to her thigh before she pressed it firmly to Kotori’s covered core. “You need to get off.”  
  
Kotori hissed softly as Nico began to slowly rub her in light circles. She clutched Nico’s shoulder tightly and closed her eyes, basking in the strums of pleasure that coursed through. “Fuck, Nico-chan…”  
  
Nico smirked at the reaction and pressed her forehead to Kotori’s, focusing on the movement of her hand. She could feel Kotori’s warm breath washing over her lips, coming quicker and faster now. “I bet you taste so sweet…”  
  
Kotori whimpered at the mental image, her hips bucking lightly against Nico’s hand in search of more friction. “Don’t stop, Nico-chan.”  
  
Nico doubled her efforts, moving her fingers quicker and faster along with Kotori’s hips as her own heart pounded against her chest. She’d said she wouldn’t go this far but she couldn’t help herself. She was just helping Kotori out though and it would only be once, she reasoned with herself rationally. She kissed Kotori once more, feeling the young designer clutch her tighter.  
  
“Damn it.” Kotori mumbled, drawing away for a moment. “Maki-chan really...turned me on.”  
  
Nico nodded. “With those pics she sure did. Are you sure you want me to keep going?”  
  
“Yes.” Kotori gasped as Nico’s fingers sped up once more. “But just…”  
  
“I know.” Nico answered before she kissed Kotori again. The unspoken rule that she couldn’t go beneath Kotori’s clothes didn’t need to be stated. She already knew that much. She didn’t want to push it too far either. As she’d said, she was nobody’s rebound.  
  
TBC.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy the chapter. Thanks so much for the comments as always! :D

“Nico! Nico!”    
  
Nico flinched as someone lightly tapped her shoulder. She looked up sharply to see her agent standing over her. “Huh?!”   
  
Kei raised an eyebrow in response. “You’ve been staring at your hands for the past twenty minutes. What’s gotten into you today?”   
  
“Nothing. Sorry, I’m just...distracted.” Nico said warily, shaking her head. She hadn’t been able to get her mind off of Kotori and what they had done all day. She felt odd about it though she wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t as though they had crossed any kind of line with what they had done.    
  
She bit her lip, thinking about how it had felt to touch Kotori like that. The warm dampness between her fingers. She quickly shook her head. She couldn't think about how much she wanted to do it again. She wouldn’t be a rebound again, not after being Adele’s. She needed to get it together. “I’m fine. Really.”   
  
Kei eyed Nico suspiciously. “You sure?” She asked, putting her phone into her pocket. She noticed Nico hesitate. “Okay, get up.”   
  
“Huh?”   
  
“I’m taking you out for dinner. My treat, we need to have a heart to heart.” Kei said, nodding resolutely to herself. She noticed Nico’s look of surprise. “You do know you aren’t just my boss, right?”   
  
Nico sighed but stood up nonetheless. “Aren’t you my boss? Since you’re the head of this agency?”   
  
“Just take me up on my offer.” Kei said with a roll of her eyes. “Geez, I’m trying to be your friend or whatever…”   
  
Nico frowned. “Don’t think I haven’t seen you eyeballing my mama.”   
  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Kei said innocently, shrugging her shoulders. “I was just admiring where you got your good looks.”   
  
“Yeah, yeah.” Nico muttered, shaking her head. “Fine. We can have dinner. But you’re not going to get me to tell you anything.”   
  
Kei smiled to herself. “We’ll see about that. Come on, I know a nice restaurant we can go to. Don’t worry, it’s out of the way and I’ll drive.”   
  
Nico exhaled slowly. That was a relief at least. She wasn’t sure she could focus enough to be discreet. She trailed after Kei to the elevator, her thoughts inevitably shifting back to Kotori. She wished she could just get the girl off of her mind but as much as she tried it just seemed to be an impossible task.    
  
She didn’t speak until she got into the car. “So where are we going then?”   
  
“I told you.” Kei said, putting her seatbelt on. “We’re going for dinner. My treat. You won’t know the restaurant. As I said, it’s out of the way so nobody’s going to recognize you.”   
  
Nico couldn’t help but smile to herself at the comment. Kei had been with her even in France and she always did look after her. The woman was in her late thirties like her mom so it was comforting to have her there. “Good.”   
  
Kei pulled out of her parking spot, glancing briefly at Nico before she started down the street. She turned her attention back to the road. It hadn’t escaped her notice that Nico had been distracted for most of the day. She wasn’t sure what was going on with Nico but she was certainly going to find out. It was her job as Nico’s agent to make sure there was nothing distracting her from her work but more than that it was her responsibility as Nico’s friend to support her.    
  
She told herself she would speak to Nico when they got to the restaurant but after a few moments she couldn’t quell her curiosity anymore. “So...girl troubles? Or is it a boy? You mentioned to me you don’t care if it’s either.”   
  
Nico sighed as she stared out of the window. “Girl troubles. But I don’t want to talk about it.”   
  
Kei nodded. “Is it…?”   
  
“No. It’s not her. Not this time.” Nico interrupted quickly, not wanting to hear the name of her ex. “It’s someone else. We...we haven’t even had sex damn it.”   
  
“But?”   
  
“But...I did...get her off through her clothes.” Nico said awkwardly. “Because someone else turned her on. I’m so fucked up, aren’t I? It’s like I enjoy being used all of the time. But...we’re both using each other. AND SHE’S MY FRIEND. This is so fucked up.”   
  
Kei’s expression remained passive as she thought on what Nico had said. “So end it.”   
  
“It’s…” Nico paused, her brow furrowing. “It’s not that simple.”   
  
“Why? It’s a friends with benefits situation, isn’t it?” Kei asked expectantly, keeping her eyes trained on the road. “And it sounds like right now the detriments outweigh the benefits. It’s obviously making you stressed.”   
  
Nico nodded in response. “I know I should end it. But I like spending time with her.”   
  
“You can spend time with her without making out.” Kei reminded Nico.    
  
“I know but it’s not the same. It’s just...I like the way we are when we’re together. Most of the time. It’s not as though the situation doesn’t fit well for both of us. But she’s into our other friend too. And I think she really likes her.”   
  
“Did she tell you that?”   
  
“No. Neither of them are admitting it and the other one...is in an arranged engagement at the minute.”   
  
Kei glanced at Nico in surprise. “What?”   
  
“She’s gay though. Men can’t do anything for her. Which is why…” Nico trailed of, shaking her head. “It’s a mess. But those two have had crushes on each other since high school. Even if I wanted to compete with that...and I’m definitely not saying I do, how would I?”   
  
“I don’t know.” Kei answered with a shrug. “Go on a date with her!”   
  
“What?! NO!” Nico exclaimed loudly, abruptly shaking her head. “That’s not going to solve anything, is it?”   
  
“At least you might have a shot.” Kei offered helplessly. “You won’t know unless you try.”   
  
Nico let out a disgruntled sigh at the remark. She wasn’t sure she would ever have a shot with Kotori. Even if she did want one which she still wasn’t sure about.    
  
\----   
  
Maki had just slipped into bed when her phone rang on her nightstand. Frowning she reached over and picked it up, looking at the screen to see Nico’s name displayed.    
  
“Do you know what time it is?” She asked as soon as she answered the call.    
  
“Before midnight. It’s still early.” Nico’s voice sounded from the other end of the line.    
  
“I have work tomorrow, Nico.” Maki sighed and rubbed her temples. “What do you want anyway? You don’t usually call me.”   
  
“I want to talk to you about Kotori.”   
  
Maki paused, her heart clenching within her chest. “Is she okay?”   
  
“She’s fine, don’t worry. It’s not about that. Listen…” Nico paused, seeming to take a deep breath. “I called to tell you something. I just...ah, screw it. I want her. I don’t know exactly how I feel right now but I want you to know that I want Kotori. And I’m going after her. Okay?”   
  
Maki was silent for a long moment before she spoke. “I really like her. So I’m not going to back down. I think I’m starting to understand my feelings for her and I don’t want to lose that. Or her. So I’m...I’m going after her too.”   
  
“I figured you might say that.” Nico replied though she didn’t sound especially annoyed about it.    
  
“She’s my light.” Maki mumbled, gripping the phone a little tighter.    
  
“Well she’s mine too.” Nico said seriously. “I’m just...not so good at showing it all of the time. But that’s going to change. If I have any kind of shot with her I have to try to take it. You understand, don’t you?”   
  
“Yeah.” Maki cleared her throat. “Yeah, of course, Nico-chan. I understand.”   
  
“You do have an advantage though.” Nico grumbled. “Woman can’t control her body when it comes to you.”   
  
Maki smirked slightly at that. “I don’t even try.”   
  
“I know you don’t. I’m still not backing down though. Hell, I’m a model. If I try to seduce her, I’ll be able to.” Nico said quickly, not wanting Maki to get the wrong idea.   
  
“It’s easy to seduce her. You just have to be honest and forward…” Maki covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes widening. Why did she have to say that?   
  
Nico gave a laugh at the comment. “Thanks for the tip, I’ll be sure to use it. Not that I need it. I do have some tricks of my own, you know.”   
  
“Tricks, you say. I don’t need tricks to get her riled up.”   
  
“Uh-huh…” Nico wanted to mention the photos but decided against it. That would definitely ruin her chances with Kotori.    
  
Maki rolled her eyes. “Goodnight, Nico.”   
  
“Night.”   
  
“Oh and Nico?”   
  
“Yeah?”   
  
“I’m not gonna lose.” Maki said simply before she hung up the phone. She turned only to smile at the sight of Kotori lying next to her in bed, hugging a stuffed bear in her arms. The same one she had given Maki for Christmas. Kotori had made it for her, she’d later learned.    
  
“Kotori.” Maki whispered, wondering if the girl was awake. “Kotori.”   
  
Kotori stirred in her sleep and after a moment blinked up at Maki. “Maki-chan.” She mumbled sleepily before she seemed to remember where she was. “I used the spare key. He wasn’t here so I thought I’d wait for you but I fell asleep.”   
  
Maki slowly pulled Kotori close to her as she slid down in the bed. She inhaled, catching the ever addicting smell of coffee and pastries. She felt Kotori’s arms wrap around her waist, pulling her closer and she let her hand wander to Kotori’s untamed hair. She caressed the soft locks gently as Kotori pressed her face into her chest.    
  
She was quickly coming to realize that she loved these moments where they were just cuddling and doing nothing more than simply being together. She closed her eyes and inhaled slowly, relishing in the moment.    
  
“You’re so warm.” Kotori mumbled, her fingers tangled loosely into the back of Maki’s shirt. “I wish I could tell your father and Nijima to leave you alone…”   
  
“Yeah, me too.” Maki whispered, her brow furrowing at the thought of the two of them. She pressed her lips lightly to Kotori’s head and wondered how long exactly the girl had been there for before she got home.   
  
She felt tears prickle at her eyes and when Kotori looked up Maki impulsively kissed her on the lips. The kiss was gently and brief, followed by a kiss to the forehead before she drew Kotori close to her once more.    
  
“I like being here more than I like being at my place.” Kotori mumbled, focusing on the warmth of Maki’s embrace.    
  
Maki felt her heart beat faster. That had been happening more as of late. She hadn’t been sure why before but she felt like she was starting to understand it a bit better.    
  
“I like you being here.” She mumbled in agreement, realizing Kotori was most likely still waiting for an answer from her. She noticed Kotori’s breathing slowing and let out a sigh after a few minutes.    
  
“Why am I such a coward?” She mumbled to herself as she watched Kotori sleep. “I told Nico I’ll win but if I can’t face Papa?”   
  
She held Kotori closer to her. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe she couldn’t be with Kotori after all.    
  
\----   
  
Kotori wasn’t watching where she was going as she approached her front door. She was too focused on drinking her coffee and reading through her emails on her phone so she nearly fell over the girl sitting on her step.    
  
“N-Nico-chan!” She exclaimed in surprise when she recognized the girl. “What are you doing here?”   
  
“I brought you coffee.” Nico rubbed her eyes, having almost dozed off while she waited. She blinked, noticing the travel mug Kotori was holding. “Oh...you were at Maki’s?”   
  
Kotori nodded guiltily and quickly unlocked her door. “If I’d known you were coming I would have been here. Come in, Nico-chan.”   
  
Nico followed Kotori into the apartment, closing the door behind her. “So you were at Maki’s? You know she was working…”   
  
Kotori shrugged her shoulders. “I like sleeping over there…”   
  
“She’s a coward.” Nico said bluntly.    
  
Kotori turned, fixing Nico with a disapproving stare. “Nico-chan.”   
  
“I’m just saying.” Nico muttered. She felt a little guilty at having said it though. “She should stop playing around. I know what it feels like to be played with.”   
  
“We didn’t have sex, Nico-chan. In fact we haven’t done it in a while.” Kotori admitted softly. Most of the time it felt like cuddling was enough for either of them. The way Maki gently brushed her fingers through her hair never failed to soothe her. Just being with Maki and talking to her was enough. She enjoyed the simple things about their friendship like going to the movies or picnics on the roof. Stargazing together and cuddling in the on call room when Maki had an especially bad night even. She remember just a few days ago when Maki had lost a patient she had called Kotori to come to the hospital. Kotori had to admit that she likes that Maki could be so open with her and that she in turn somehow managed to comfort the upset intern.    
  
“I want you to go on a date with me.” Nico blurted out, causing Kotori’s eyes to widen in surprise.    
  
“W-What?”   
  
Nico answered by stepping close to Kotori. She leaned up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips gently to Kotori’s, lingering for a moment before she slowly drew away. “Go on a date with me, Kotori.”   
  
Kotori swallowed thickly before nodding her head. “O-Okay.”   
  
She felt her heart swell as Nico smiled softly. Nico’s genuine smiles were always so rare and Kotori cherished them.   
  
“What changed your mind?” She finally managed to ask. “You said you didn’t want to go on a real date with me.”   
  
“I don’t know. I figured I had to take a chance sometime.” Nico replied honestly. “And you’re worth the risk so why wouldn’t I?”   
  
Kotori smiled warmly at the compliment. “I’m sorry I messed up your plans this morning. I have work today but I’ll be home early tonight if you want to come over for a while.”   
  
“It’s fine. I was up most of the night anyway. Guess it’s a good thing I don’t have work tonight…”   
  
“Oh!” Kotori exclaimed as if realizing something. “If you want you can sleep here while I go into the office. It’ll save you having to go all the way across town to sleep. And you look tired anyway…”   
  
“Thanks.” Nico said with a hint of a smile. She kissed Kotori briefly once more. “Do you mind if I take a shower?”   
  
“No, go ahead. I’m just going to change then leave so I’ll see you when I get home later.” Kotori said softly. She squeezed Nico’s hand before they both went their separate ways to change or shower.    
  
\-----   
  
  
Kotori fiddled with the phone in her jacket pocket, tempted to switch it on. Part of her wanted to text Maki but she was on a date with Nico and she knew it would be rude not to give the model her full attention like she had with Maki.    
  
She felt her stomach plummet as she recalled telling Maki she was going on a date with Nico. Maki had looked undeniably saddened before she had pasted a fake smile to her face.    
  
“Kotori.” Nico leaned across the table separating her from Kotori and waved a hand in front of her date’s face. “You still listening?”   
  
Kotori quickly snapped back to attention. “S-Sorry. I was just thinking.”   
  
“Thinking how beautiful I am?”   
  
“No…” Kotori looked up to see Nico frowning. “I mean um...you do look really nice tonight though!” She quickly ducked her head, looking back down at her menu.    
  
Nico frowned, wondering what was wrong with Kotori.    
  
Kotori slid down in her seat, still able to feel Nico’s eyes on her. She couldn’t help but wonder why she was so bad at this with Nico. With Maki she had been so good at it but with Nico it was like her mind was elsewhere.    
  
“S-So um…” Kotori cleared her throat, figuring she should say something. “How was work?”   
  
“It was fine.” Nico answered quietly, perplexed by the sudden awkwardness between the two of them. “Hey, are you sure you’re feeling okay? If you’re bored we can go somewhere else.”   
  
“No!” Kotori blurted out quickly. “I-I mean I’m fine. Don’t worry, Nico-chan.”   
  
“You can tell me what’s wrong…”   
  
“If I do it’ll just ruin the date…” Kotori covered her mouth with her hand as if she was surprised she had said that. “F-forget I said that.”   
  
“How am I meant to do that?” Nico asked dryly, frowning at Kotori. “Do you want to go back to my place instead? We can talk. We don’t have to do this...dating thing. It was just an idea.”   
  
“NO!” Kotori reached for the shochu in front of her and took a strong swig. She needed to loosen up. It was only Nico. Her good friend. Maybe even her best friend now. She didn’t know why everything was so awkward now.    
  
Nico sighed and leaned back in her seat. She figured either Kotori would tell her what was wrong in time or Kotori would relax a bit. “So um...still wanna go to karaoke after this?”   
  
“Yes!” Kotori exclaimed, feeling the buzz from her drink. It still annoyed her that with Maki she didn’t need it. She had wanted to go on a date with Nico but now that it was happening she was starting to see that it felt better for Nico to just be her friend. Unlike how it felt with Maki.    
  
“Good.” Nico said quietly, relieved about that at least. She noticed Kotori fiddling with something in her pocket. “Do you need to call someone or something?”   
  
“Huh? Oh...no. No, I don’t.” Kotori took her hand from her pocket and planted it flat on the table. “I’m fine!”   
  
Nico raised an eyebrow. “You can if you need to. I’ll still be here when you get back.”   
  
“I-I’m fine, really.” Kotori said, shaking her head. Still she couldn’t suppress the niggling feeling that she should check her phone. She chose to ignore it.    
  
\-----   
  
“I’m sorry, Elichi but I have to call in a rain check!” Nozomi exclaimed breathlessly into her phone when Eli finally picked up. She shoulder opened the double doors in front of her as she jogged through the hospital, looking for the on call room Maki had told her to meet her at.    
  
Eli sighed. “Nozomi.”   
  
“I know, I know. It was important.” Nozomi said. She caught a glimpse of Nijima tugging a intern into his office and growled under her breath. “But this is important too.”   
  
“It’s the door on the right.”   
  
Nozomi looked up to see a girl who looked to be Maki’s age, obviously an intern, standing nearby.    
  
“They really did a number on her. Half of us are afraid to do an operation again...if Nishikino-san can’t do it.”   
  
“Right, thanks.” Nozomi sighed, nodding at the girl. She turned her attention back to her girlfriend who had yet to respond. “Eli? I’m sorry, okay? I’ll make it up to…”   
  
“It’s fine.” Eli interrupted. “I’ll just call Honoka or something. I’ll see you tomorrow.”   
  
Nozomi sighed and hung up her phone, slipping it back into her pocket before she entered the on call room. She shut the door behind her.    
  
Maki looked up, her eyes flooded with tears and her cheeks damp with them. “I killed someone. I just fucking froze.”   
  
“Maki-chan, let’s get you home. Surely all you need is…”   
  
“He told me I was a murderer. S-She had a fucking family!” Maki swiped roughly at her cheeks. “K-Kotori didn’t even answer my call. I know she’s on a date but I need her...I didn’t know who else to c-call…you’re the only person I trust besides her. I-I should just quit. I’m not a doctor, I’m a killer.”   
  
Nozomi shook her head and went to Maki, pulling her into a crushing hug. “Take a deep breath with me. Come on, just like our sessions. Count to ten slowly.”   
  
Maki did as she was told, taking a deep breath and counting to ten in her head as she released the breath.    
  
“Good.” Nozomi said softly, rubbing Maki’s back. “Now listen, you’re not a murderer. Maybe you will get hit with a malpractice lawsuit but surely that won’t cause too much trouble. I mean I can talk to them if you’d like.”   
  
Maki shook her head. She would deserve everything they threw at her.    
  
“Let’s go back to your apartment.” Nozomi said quietly. “I’ll make you some tea and I’ll stay with you tonight.”   
  
Maki nodded her head, still tearful. “Don’t you have to get back?”   
  
“Ah...not really.” Nozomi said vaguely, deciding not to tell Maki that she’d cancelled her date with Eli and now Eli was most likely angry with her. “Don’t worry about that. Do you need to pick anything up before we leave?”   
  
Maki shook her head. She didn’t want to go to get her stuff from the staff room in case she ran into anyone.    
  
“Okay.” Nozomi stood from the bed, waiting for Maki to get up too before the two left the on call room together.    
  
She vaguely noticed that Maki was sticking close to her side but chose not to comment on it, figuring that Maki must just be feeling overwhelmed by everything that was happening.    
  
The two of them walked to the entrance of the hospital together but upon exiting the building Nozomi felt Maki freeze. She was about to question Maki when she spotted a man standing off to the side, clearly upset. She cursed under her breath and grasped Maki’s hand. “It’s okay.”   
  
“It’s not okay…”   
  
“Right, just keep going…” Nozomi squeezed Maki’s hand and tried to lead her away only for the man nearby to look up at them.    
  
“Oh so now you’re leaving after all that…”   
  
Nozomi bristled slightly though she knew she couldn’t be too harsh toward the man. “Excuse me but she tried everything she could to save your wife.”   
  
“SHE DIDN’T NEED TO BE SAVED! It was a tumor!”   
  
Maki flinched at that before she noticed her supervising doctor walking over.    
  
“Yamada-san, please come with me. I’m sorry for the wait.” The doctor said before he guided the distressed man back into the hospital.    
  
Maki took a shuddering breath, her eyes brimming once more at the pain she’d caused. She numbly let Nozomi lead her away.    
\-----   
  
Kotori jogged urgently down the street toward Maki’s apartment block. She’d had her date with Nico the previous evening and she’d set her phone to silent. She hadn’t paid attention to it or even glanced at it but the following morning she’d woken up to dozens of phone calls and messages from Maki. Messages pleading with her to pick up and stating that Maki needed her.    
  
Kotori felt her stomach plummet at the thought. She reached Maki’s apartment block within a few seconds and she was about to call up when someone opened the door. She slipped past the man on his way out and ran up the stairs to Maki’s apartment. She  automatically took out her spare key and unlocked the apartment door. She stepped inside only to stop short at the sight of Nozomi walking through the living room, her shirt off.    
  
“Oh.” The door swung shut behind her. “ _ Oh _ .” She reached back, fumbling for the door handle.    
  
“ _ You _ .” Nozomi growled, her eyes glinting with anger as she stormed over to Kotori. “Where the hell were you last night?!”   
  
“I-I was on a date! I do have a life! Where’s…”   
  
“THAT’S BESIDES THE POINT!”   
  
“Well what about you?!” Kotori exclaimed, her own anger spiking as Nozomi raised her voice. “Eli-chan won’t be happy knowing you were here!”   
  
“Huh?”   
  
“Come on.” Kotori scoffed in disbelief. “You’re not wearing a shirt so you obviously did something last night. Otherwise why would you even be he-” She was cut off as Nozomi stepped forward and slapped her sharply. She gasped in surprise and pain, her head jerking to the right.    
  
“Don’t ever accuse me of cheating on Elichi. EVER!” Nozomi angrily spoke, her eyes blazing with fury. “You want to know what I did last night? I cancelled a date with Elichi to comfort one of my friends who was in dire need of comfort after a horrific operating experience. It was her first procedure alone. And the patient flatlined, Kotori. And now Maki thinks she’s responsible for the patient dying because she screwed up. She froze. She needed you last night and you weren’t here. She called you and you didn’t SHOW UP!”   
  
Kotori’s hands trembled at her sides. She felt sick, her eyes watering and she was only vaguely aware of how much her cheek stung. Her chest ached more. “I-I was out.” She whispered meekly.    
  
Nozomi watched tears trickle down Kotori’s cheeks and let out an annoyed sigh. She turned and walked off to the kitchen, returning a few moments later with an ice pack to find Kotori standing in the same place. “Here. Put this on.” She pressed it to Kotori’s cheek and waited for the girl to take it only for Kotori to lower it to her side after. “Kotori, you need to put that…”   
  
“I don’t need it.” Kotori rasped distractedly, her gaze shifting to the bedroom. She wanted nothing more than to go to Maki and tell her she was sorry.    
  
“Look, I’m sorry, okay?! But you can’t just accuse people of cheating on their girlfriends! I’m not like that!  _ Some  _ of us can make a decision and stick with it.”   
  
Kotori gritted her teeth but she didn’t say anything for a moment. “I can take this from here, Nozomi-chan. You probably have work, right?”   
  
Nozomi wanted to argue but she couldn’t. She did have work. “Yeah. I need to change first but I’ll be leaving after. I’ll be back later tonight though!”   
  
Kotori watched as Nozomi stormed off to the bedroom. She numbly walked to the couch and sat down, deciding to wait for Maki to wake up herself. She figured Maki should at least get a good night’s sleep.    
  
Nozomi reappeared a few moments later, clad in a light grey shirt. She paused next to the couch, looking down at Kotori. “I’m leaving.”   
  
“Okay.”   
  
Nozomi let out a sigh in response. “So you’re pissed at me for slapping you.” She had to admit she felt slightly guilty about that. She shouldn’t have gone so far even if she was angry.    
  
Kotori looked up at Nozomi. “It’s fine. It’s not like it’s anything I don’t deserve, right?” Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat.    
  
Nozomi perched on the edge of the couch and reached out to gently caress Kotori’s reddened cheek.    
  
“What are you doing?” Kotori whispered, trying to control her emotions for a moment. At least until Nozomi left.   
  
“Sending my Nozomi healing power to your cheek, what do you think?” Nozomi joked softly. “Also if you ever need to talk my office is always open. It’s in the psychiatric ward of the hospital five blocks from Maki’s, remember?”   
  
“What? You’re that close to her? But Nico…”   
  
“You’re not the only who hasn’t been in contact too much with us. I’ve been counseling Maki-chan since she started working as a medical intern. Must have slipped her mind.”   
  
Kotori nodded slightly in response but she didn’t say anything other than that. “I’m...going on dates with both Maki-chan and Nico-chan.” She said suddenly, feeling the need to explain herself. “If i’d been on a date with Maki-chan I would have ignored Nico-chan. Not...ignored but I would have given my full attention to Maki-chan.”

  
“Dates.” Nozomi echoed skeptically. “Both of them? And you think that it’s a good idea to string them along like that?”   
  
Kotori hesitated before shrugging her shoulders. “I’m not stringing them along. They don’t have feelings for me, Nozomi-chan.”

 

Nozomi sighed before looking at Kotori seriously. “If you want to be with either of them you need to figure it out. But Maki-chan is engaged, Kotori-chan. Pursuing her isn’t going to work even if you do have feelings for her. This whole situation is just making her worse. I know she’s not happy with Nijima but you need to stop toying with her, Kotori.”   
  
Kotori nodded silently.    
  
Nozomi then stood up with a soft sigh. “I have to get to work. I’ll see you later.” She placed a hand lightly on Kotori’s shoulder, giving a quick squeeze before she left the apartment.    
  
Kotori heard the door click shut. She stared down at her knees, running through what had happened in her head. She’d made such a huge mess and now she was going to have to pay for it. She wasn’t sure how long she sat there but eventually she noticed movement. She looked up in time to see Maki standing near the bedroom door, her eyes locked on to Kotori.    
  
“Maki-chan…” Kotori stood up from the couch, her legs slightly weak. “Maki-chan, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to ignore you.”   
  
Maki’s eyes filled with tears. “I thought you left me.”   
  
Kotori swallowed against the lump in her throat. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here. I should have been. Nozomi-chan was right, I should have been here. You needed me and I just fucked everything up. I’m sorry, Maki-chan.” She lifted a hand to her own mouth, tears sliding down her cheeks once more. “I’m sorry. I’m so…”   
  
Maki darted across the room as a sob tore it’s way from Kotori’s throat. She collided with the young designer and hugged her, feeling Kotori desperately return the embrace. Trying to suppress her own tears, Maki buried her head into the crook of Kotori’s neck. For several long moments the two of them just stood there, trying to calm themselves while refusing to draw away. Finally it was Kotori who drew back to look into Maki’s teary eyes.    
  
“I should have been here.” She repeated hoarsely. She moved her hands to rest on Maki’s shoulders. “I can’t keep doing this, Maki-chan. W-We can’t keep doing this.”   
  
Maki’s eyes widened at the comment. “W-What?”   
  
“I can’t keep doing this to you. Nozomi’s right, you deserve better than being strung along.” Kotori said, struggling to stay composed. “You deserve better than  _ him  _ and me.”   
  
“No. No. Please don’t leave me.” Maki’s voice rose with panic and she gripped Kotori tighter. “Last night I wanted you here with me, not Nozomi. I called you first. I-I wanted you here.”   
  
“I’m sorry.” Kotori whispered again, clenching her eyes shut. “But you deserve…”   
  
“I don’t care, I want YOU!” Maki cried out loudly, drawing back slightly. She gripped Kotori’s shoulders, staring deeply into her eyes. “Please, Kotori. Don’t leave me. I want to do this.””   
  
Kotori looked into Maki’s eyes. “Do you love me?” She whispered, her words causing a shock of panic to course through her. She hadn’t wanted to ask that but she needed to know.    
  
“Do you love me?” Maki retorted just as quietly.    
  
“I...maybe. I don’t know.” Kotori admitted, her brow furrowing slightly. “I want to. I’ve had a crush on you since high school. You already knew that. But I don’t want to at the same time. I don’t want to end up being hurt again, that’s all…”   
  
Maki took a deep breath, taking Kotori’s words in. She knew what Kotori feared. It was her own fear too. That she would fall for Kotori and Kotori in turn would fall for her and then she’d get married to a man she had no interest in.    
  
“I don’t want you just for your body.” Maki murmured finally. “I really like you. I like spending time with you. And I like being close to you. Our sleepovers are...always the highlight of my week. You make me feel less alone.”   
  
“You’re not alone.” Kotori felt the need to say. “You have me and Nico-chan. And Nozomi-chan and Eli-chan. Honoka-chan too. We’re all here for you. No matter what happens I’m not going to leave you as your friend. Ever again. I promise.”   
  
“I want to keep going though. I want to know where this goes...with us.” Maki said hoarsely. “Can we try?”   
  
Kotori nodded slowly. Part of her wanted to say no, both for Maki’s sake and her own sake but she couldn’t bring herself to say it. She leaned down to kiss Maki but stopped when Maki cupped her face in her hands and turned it to the right so that she could see Kotori’s cheek.    
  
“What happened?!”   
  
“Nozomi.” Kotori answered, turning back to Maki. “Don’t worry, it’s not as bad as it looks. Besides, I deserved it. She’s a good friend, I’m glad you…mmph!” Her eyes widened in surprise when Maki kissed her suddenly.    
  
“Stop talking.” Maki mumbled against Kotori’s lips. She kissed Kotori once more, trying as best she could to will the tears from her eyes. When she drew back, Kotori’s eyes stayed shut. “You told me you were going out, I should have known. I just…”   
  
“It’s okay.” Kotori said with a small smile. She hugged Maki close to her, feeling somewhat of a weight lift from her shoulders. “I’m just glad you’re okay. Y-You are okay, aren’t you?”   
  
Maki nodded against Kotori shoulder. She was, now that Kotori was there. “I just...I can still see her. I was the last person she made eye contact with before she went under the mask. I told her it would be okay, I told her we knew what we were doing and...she had a family, Kotori.”   
  
Kotori heard Maki’s voice fill with emotion once more and she hugged her tighter. “It wasn’t your fault, Maki-chan. You did everything you could. I know you would have.”   
  
“I didn’t do shit! I fucking froze, Kotori!” Maki exclaimed tearfully. “Other surgeons remind me to never say what I did. It’s better to be neutral than optimistic. I learned that the hard way, especially since this was a neurological procedure. It was supposed to be a simple tumor dispatch and I screwed it up and now her family blames me! They’re right. It was my fault. Her husband looked like he wanted to kill me when I gave him the news.”   
  
Kotori wasn’t sure what to say. She gently stroked Maki’s hair, her chest tight at the thought of Maki being in such a terrible situation. “It’s going to be okay, Maki-chan.”   
  
“I never want to hear that phrase again. Life is never okay, Kotori. Especially with the job I have.”   
  
Kotori’s stomach sank as Maki pointed out her mistake. She swallowed thickly and rephrased herself. “Life is always going to be full of obstacles, Maki-chan. You just have to keep your head up and keep working to succeed. You’ll remember this next time and you’ll do better. You’ll work harder. I know it.”   
  
Maki sniffled softly. “I hate making mistakes.”   
  
“I do too. But it’s part of life, you know?”   
  
“Yeah…” Maki mumbled, feeling herself calming down slightly. “I’m never gonna make that mistake again.”   
  
“Don’t think you won’t mess up again. You might. Just know in the future you need to try a better approach. You’re a doctor, Maki-chan. Not a miracle worker.” Kotori reminded Maki gently. “Everyone makes mistakes. Even you. But you’ll learn from them.”   
  
Maki nodded against Kotori’s shoulder. “Thank you.”   
  
“Of course.” Kotori turned, kissing the side of Maki’s head before she drew away. “Let me call in to work to let my team know I won’t be coming in today. We can do whatever you want.”   
  
Maki wiped her tears away with the sleeve of her sweater and flashed Kotori a watery smile. “Y-You don’t have to take the day off.”   
  
“I want to. I want to be here.” Kotori brushed Maki’s hair from her face. “Go back to bed. I’ll be in in a few minutes and we can spend the day doing nothing. Or watching movies. Whatever you want.”   
  
“Right.” Maki hesitated, tempted to argue but after a moment she relented and turned, walking back to the bedroom.    
  
Kotori took out her phone and sent Nozomi a text to let her know Maki was okay before she called in to work to let her team know she wouldn’t be coming in.    
  
\----   
  
Maki groggily walked from the bedroom, finding Kotori making tea in the kitchen. She’d been watching a movie with Kotori one moment and the next thing she knew she was jolting awake. She went to Kotori, wrapping her arms around her waist from behind.    
  
“I think I fell asleep.” She mumbled.    
  
Kotori shuddered as Maki’s lips grazed her neck. “You did. It’s only been fifteen minutes though, don’t worry. I was going to wake you soon.”   
  
“Why’d you get up?” Maki asked, looking over Kotori’s shoulder at the tea she was making. “You could come back to bed.”   
  
“I wanted tea.”   
  
“I need you here.” Maki replied softly.    
  
“Well it’s a good thing I’m yours for the whole d-” Kotori was cut off by the shrill sound of her phone ringing. She’d made sure to take it off silent in case anything else happened. She didn’t want to mess up again with Maki  _ or _ Nico. She reached for her phone and seeing it was Nico, answered it.    
  
“Hello?” She spoke, lifting the phone to her ear.    
  
“Hey. I stopped by your office to drop off lunch again but you weren’t there.” Nico said, her voice tinged with concern. “I was worried. Where are you?”   
  
“I’m um...at Maki-chan’s apartment. It’s a long story.” Kotori said sheepishly.    
  
“Does that mean I get you to myself tonight?” Nico teased lightly.    
  
Maki huffed and Kotori felt her skin tingle as the soft breath swept over it. “I-I’m not sure what I’m doing tonight, Nico-chan. I’ll let you know though.”   
  
Maki lightly ghosted her lips against Kotori’s neck but waited patiently. It wouldn’t be fair for her to interrupt Kotori while she was on the phone with Nico.    
  
“Hey...are you okay?” Nico asked hesitantly after a moment. “Nozomi said she might have...upset you or something earlier. She didn’t tell me much, just that I should check in on you. That was why I went to your office.”   
  
“I’m fine, Nico-chan.” Kotori said with a small smile. It took her by surprise, as it usually did, that Nico could be so thoughtful. “I’ll be okay.”   
  
“I’m not buying it. We’re talking about this later.”   
  
Kotori gave a light laugh at the warning comment and shook her head. “If you say so. Anyway, I um...I should be getting back. I’ll call you later, okay?”   
  
“I’ll be waiting.” Nico quipped flirtatiously before she ended the call.    
  
Maki pressed her forehead to Kotori’s shoulder. “The whole day, you say?”   
  
Kotori nodded in response.    
  
“Most people in my shoes would just want to spend it peacefully.” Maki drawled softly. She gripped Kotori’s hips, gently turning her to face her. “But I want to try something new.”   
  
“N-Ne…?”    
  
Maki kissed Kotori soundly, her hands trailing lightly up over Kotori’s hips. She allowed them to wander freely but slowly over Kotori’s back and shoulders to her chest and down, relishing in the way Kotori’s breath seemed to hitch every few seconds.    
  
Kotori kissed Maki back, completely forgetting about the rapidly cooling tea behind her.    
  
“Come back to bed with me.” Maki whispered against Kotori’s lips as she pressed closer to her. All she wanted to do was lose herself completely in Kotori. She didn’t want to rush things like she had last time, she wanted to take her time. She wanted to savor the experience.   
  
“Okay.” Kotori mumbled back. She was disappointed when Maki stopped kissing her but she allowed Maki to take her gently by the hand and lead her to the bedroom. Maki let go of Kotori’s hand to close the door behind them. For a moment she stayed still with her hand on the door, feeling her heart thump rapidly against her chest. She was sure she was in too deep already. Taking a breath she turned around in time to see Kotori sit down on the edge of the bed.    
  
“You not gonna turn the lights off?” Kotori asked, noticing Maki leaving them on as she walked over to her.    
  
“No.” Maki whispered, stopping in front of Kotori. “I want to see you.”   
  
Kotori took Maki’s hand and tugged her down onto the bed with her before she kissed her again, deeper than the kiss they had shared in the kitchen a few moments ago but still unhurried. Her hand went to the back of Maki’s neck while she felt Maki’s move between the two of them to carefully unbutton Kotori’s shirt.    
  
She felt Maki nip gently at her bottom lip and whimpered in response only to have the redhead draw away from her. She was about to protest when she felt Maki’s attention shift to her neck. Light kisses were pressed against her neck, followed by her shoulder as Maki pushed off her shirt. It slid off Kotori’s arms, pooling on the bed beneath them and Kotori let out a sharp gasp when she felt teeth scrape lightly against her neck.    
  
“Maki-chan…” Kotori let out a low growl as Maki nipped at her earlobe. She reached down and gripped the hem of Maki’s shirt, tugging it up and off. Seconds after she’d done so she felt Maki’s lips return to her neck, soft hands moving up her stomach to the swell of her breasts. She shuddered in response. Maki was captivating no matter what but something about how unhurried Maki was left Kotori trembling in anticipation.    
  
Maki sucked firmly at Kotori’s neck, well aware that she would leave a mark there. She didn’t mind, nor did Kotori it seemed who merely moaned and tugged her closer.    
  
Kotori didn’t notice the hand that went around her back, nimble fingers unlatching her bra before she had time to realize what was happening. It was quick to join her shirt on the bed. She leaned back, tugging Maki with her.    
  
Maki quickly adjusted herself so that she was straddling Kotori’s waist. She took a moment to sit back, looking down at Kotori.    
  
Kotori’s lips were swollen from kissing her and she had a red mark on the side of her neck. Her torso was bare and Maki bit her lip as she stared down at the designer.    
  
Kotori swallowed heavily as she stared up at Maki in return. The girl’s hair was a mess, her bangs covering one eye. As Maki ran her hands over her stomach, Kotori felt her pulse quicken. They had done this before but everything always seemed to feel so new with Maki. She licked her lips, taking in the way the strap of Maki’s black bra slid down her shoulder. Maki was smirking down at her, she noticed, her eyes smoldering. It was clear from that look that Maki knew what she was doing to her.    
  
“Do you want to stop?” Maki asked, fiddling with the small zipper on the side of Kotori’s skirt. She kept her other hand resting on the warm skin of Kotori’s stomach.    
  
Kotori shook her head without hesitation. “N-No. Don’t stop. Please.”   
  
Maki took in the slightly desperate look in Kotori’s eyes and felt a twinge of guilt. “I’m sorry I’ve been so busy lately. Or exhausted.”   
  
“You don’t need to apologize to me.” Kotori promised softly before gasping as Maki leaned down and pressed several kisses to her stomach.    
  
Maki slowly slid off of Kotori, tugging her skirt down her legs and off. She let it land on the floor and not wanting to draw away from Kotori again she tugged the girl’s panties off too, letting them fall to the floor.    
  
“W-Wait.” Kotori sat up as Maki moved to climb back onto the bed. “You too, Maki-chan.”   
  
Before Maki could ask what Kotori meant by that she felt hands grip the waistband of her sweats. She felt the sweats along with her panties being inched down and shuddered as Kotori pressed a light kiss to her hip bone. She  felt another press to her thigh and for a moment thought Kotori was going to kiss her more but the girl seemed to stop herself. She simply pushed Maki’s clothes the rest of the way down and let her step out of them.    
  
Maki reached behind her back, unlatching her bra and letting the final item of clothing fall to the floor before she moved to Kotori and kissed her again.    
  
Kotori let herself fall back onto the bed, tugging Maki with her. She gently threaded their fingers together, basking in the warmth of Maki’s body on top of her. She knew they were going too far. They were allowing themselves to get in too deep but there was no going back. Both of them knew that.    
  
\----   
  
Kotori couldn’t quite figure out what it was she was feeling. She didn’t especially regret going so far with Maki but she felt anxious about what it could mean for the two of them. She didn’t want to ruin their friendship, nor did she want to risk either of them getting hurt.    
  
Approaching her apartment door she wasn’t surprised to see Nico sitting outside, her head resting back against the brick wall behind her. Her stomach did plummet slightly however with guilt. She approached slowly, crouching and laying a hand on the dozing girl’s shoulder. “Nico-chan.”   
  
“Hmm?!” Nico jerked slightly in response, having been unaware that Kotori was there. She blinked rapidly at the sight of Kotori, appearing confused for a moment before a small smile tugged at her lips. “Hey.”   
  
Kotori let out a sigh. “You’re lucky you’re inside the locked door. Goodness, Nico-chan, don’t you know what you’re doing is reckless.”   
  
Nico looked slightly amused by the comment. “I was just waiting for you.” She held out her hand to Kotori who helped her up from the floor.      
  
“You’re seriously more of a dog than a cat sometimes.” Kotori teased.    
  
“Arf arf.”   
  
Kotori rolled her eyes in response but she couldn’t help smiling. Just being around Nico seemed to lighten her mood quite a bit. “Do you want to come in?”   
  
“Well I wasn’t waiting out here for no reason.” Nico quipped with an expectant smirk.    
  
Kotori chuckled softly to herself and unlocked her apartment door, letting the two of them inside. She closed and locked it behind them, leaving her keys in the lock before she followed Nico further into the apartment.    
  
“What time did you get here?” She asked, noticing Nico looked fairly tired.    
  
“A while ago.” Nico answered vaguely. “You didn’t call me last night.”   
  
“Oh. I’m sorry, I didn’t…” Kotori paused as Nico stepped toward her, a few steps bringing them within touching distance.    
  
“You were having sex, huh?” Nico drawled expectantly. “I seriously need to up my game, don’t I? Maki is running this way too fast for me.”   
  
“Ah, w-well she’s always been at least the third fastest. After Eli-chan and Rin-chan…”   
  
“Yeah, I noticed you watching her back then.” Nico said thoughtfully, recalling how Kotori used to keep a close eye on Maki back in high school. She had mistaken it for just friendship but now that she looked back on it she could see that it was more than that. Kotori always seemed to be watching Maki, especially during training. It always seemed fairly innocent but once she’d caught the designers eyes going south. That was when Nico had figured out that Kotori wasn’t exactly straight.    
  
Kotori blushed at the comment. “Well you can’t blame me. A lot of people were attracted to Maki-chan.”   
  
“Not me.” Nico gripped Kotori’s shoulders and lightly pushed Kotori down to the couch. “But I agree. Maki never had to try with her appearance.”   
  
Kotori swallowed thickly as without warning Nico pulled up her blouse. It fell to the floor and Kotori’s eyes widened as she looked over Nico’s slim figure her eyes trailing up to the girl’s bust. “Y-You really did get bigger…”   
  
Nico smirked as she lightly straddled Kotori’s knees. “Well it was amusing hiding it for a while but figured I could show you my real chest size now. It’s been ten years, Kotori. I wasn’t at my peek until I was nineteen. A late bloomer is what you’d call it.”   
  
Kotori licked her lips, her eyes still taking in the sight of smooth skin on display to her. “I thought the measurements were...strange.”   
  
Nico smiled slightly at that. “Come on. Touch me. I know you want to.”   
  
Kotori’s fingers twitched at her and she looked up at Nico in surprise. “Can I?”   
  
Nico nodded her head in response and lightly picked up Kotori’s hand, guiding it to her chest.    
  
Kotori’s heartbeat seemed to quicken as her hand was pressed to Nico’s breast above the rather thing material of her bra. It didn’t escape her notice that while Nico had grown, Maki was still bigger chest wise. Still, touching Nico was nice anyway.    
  
Her fingers trailing over soft skin she glanced up at Nico who stared down at her, biting her lip.    
  
Kotori looked down at her hand once more. She didn’t feel the uncontrollable desire that she felt with Maki, or the need to have Nico’s body pressed against her own but she did feel the urge to hold Nico close to her. To kiss her. She didn’t know what to make of that. While her feelings weren’t as strong as they needed to be she still felt more than friendly feelings toward Nico.    
  
Nico tilted her head, noticing the troubled look on Kotori’s face. “So? How does it feel?”   
  
Kotori bit her lip. “Good. It’s just I don’t feel the urge to tear your clothes off.” She covered her mouth as the words left her. “I’m sorry, that’s the last thing you’d want to hear after our date. I had a really great time by the way. You were so kind and charming but...” She felt tears form in her eyes as she thought about how even though she’d had a good time with Nico she had ignored Maki all night. “Damn it, I don’t know how I feel about anything anymore…”   
  
Nico frowned as Kotori turned her gaze down to the space between them. She cleared her throat. She had to admit the brushoff stung a little bit but part of her had been expecting it. “Hey, it’s okay. No expectations, remember?”   
  
“It’s NOT okay!” Kotori exclaimed emotionally, remembering her own words. “None of this is okay. Life isn’t always okay. I’m hurting you!”   
  
Nico grimaced slightly at that. “Maybe you are, a little. But it’s fine, Kotori. I knew what I was getting myself into. We said we wouldn’t be anything but friends.”   
  
“You can do so much better, Nico-chan. I’m just an obstacle.” Kotori lifted her hand, wiping at her damp eyes. “You need to not be afraid to find someone. I want you to be happy.”   
  
Nico managed a small smile. “You breaking up with me?” She joked lightly. She felt Kotori flinch slightly and placed a hand on her shoulder, gently rubbing it. “I’m kidding, Kotori.” She leaned down and pressed her lips to Kotori’s, kissing her firmly before she drew away. “I already found someone, okay?”   
  
If anything the comment only made Kotori cry harder. That wasn’t the answer she had wanted. She hugged Nico tightly mostly to hide her tears. “I don’t want to hurt you, Nico-chan.”   
  
“Well I don’t want you to either.” Nico said, hoping to make light of the situation. She wasn’t sure it worked. “Don’t worry.” She trailed her hand lightly over the back of Kotori’s head, trying to soothe her. “I know what I’m doing.”   
  
Kotori closed her eyes as she felt Nico’s hand go between them. She bit her lip, desperately trying to imagine that it was Maki instead. She felt guilty for doing so but she had to.    
  
Nico flinched as Kotori’s hand suddenly curled around her wrist, tugging her arm away. “Kotori…”   
  
“I’m sorry.” Kotori said tearfully. “I can’t. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, I just, I...I want...no, I need Maki-chan. I’m sorry.”   
  
Nico opened her mouth to speak but paused when Kotori lightly pushed her off of her, onto the couch. “Kotori, wait.” She stood up as Kotori bolted across the room, grabbing her jacket. “Kotori!”   
  
Kotori paused at the door. “I-I’m sorry…” With those two final words she opened the door and fled.    
  
“Damn it!” Nico growled, cursing herself for pushing so hard.    
  
\----   
  
Maki sighed as she tugged on her jacket, preparing herself for what would be at least a fourteen hour shift at the hospital. If she was lucky. She wasn’t on call that night but she knew she’d probably end up sleeping at the hospital anyway.    
  
She opened her front door in time to see Kotori turn the corner at the end of the hallway. Their eyes met and Maki’s heart lurched when she noticed the drying tears on Kotori’s cheeks and the moisture in her eyes. She heard her bag drop to the floor and then before she had thought about it she was hurrying down the hallway to meet Kotori in the middle.    
  
The designer threw her arms around Maki when she reached her, the force of the embrace causing Maki to stumble back a couple of steps. She felt Maki hug her back and buried her face in the redhead’s neck. “I’m sorry.” She choked out, her tears dampening Maki’s neck and collar. “I-I needed to see you.”   
  
“It’s okay.” Maki soothed gently, rubbing Kotori’s back. She paid not attention to the fact that they were in the middle of the hallway. She didn’t care. All she could think about was what could be wrong with Kotori. She had seemed fine that morning, if somewhat distracted.    
  
Maki drew away after a moment, gently wiping Kotori’s tears away. “Let’s go inside.” She said softly, grasping Kotori’s hand. “Come on.”   
  
Kotori barely felt Maki lead her into the apartment but after a few minutes she recognized that Maki was gently pushing her down onto the couch. She blinked up at Maki, realizing she was dressed to go out. Her eyes widened at the realization that Maki had been about to leave for work. “I’m so so-”   
  
Maki sat on the couch and pulled Kotori to her. She hugged her tightly and gently caressed her hair, lips pressing against Kotori’s crown. “Shhh. Take a deep breath and count to ten for me.”   
  
Kotori did as she was asked, taking a deep breath and counting to ten in her head. It worked somewhat to calm her down. “Y-You should go to work, Maki-chan. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you late.”   
  
“I don’t care about that. I haven’t had a day off in a while besides yesterday. Besides, I can’t go to work with the flu, can I?”   
  
“But you don’t have…” Kotori looked up to see Maki smirking slightly. “Oh. B-But I can’t ask you to take the day off work just for me.”   
  
“Why not? You did.”   
  
“It’s different, I’m the boss.” Kotori said with a slight frown. “I’ll be fine, really.”   
  
“I don’t want you to be just fine.” Maki said with a shake of her head. “I’m going to call in sick to work and I’m not going to change my mind.”   
  
Kotori nodded and sank back into Maki’s embrace. “Can you just hold me, Maki-chan? Please?”   
  
“O-Of course.” Maki stuttered, feeling a strange tug at her heart at the plea. She hugged Kotori tightly and slowly inhaled, catching the scent of pastries. Her brow furrowed. “No coffee…”   
  
“What?”   
  
“You don’t smell like coffee today.” Maki explained, her cheeks warming.    
  
“I haven’t had any.” Kotori said softly, trying not to think too much into what Maki was saying. It didn’t mean anything, that Maki knew her usual scent at all. It was probably just something Maki had noticed with them being suddenly so close. She sighed softly, trying to shut off her thoughts. She needed to stop overthinking things.    
  
“That’s too bad, I really like your scent.” Maki admitted softly, blushing as she looked away from Kotori.    
  
Kotori’s eyes widened at the confession before her features softened once more. “I guess I’ll just have to drink some coffee to make up for it.” She said lightly, giving Maki a gentle squeeze. She felt a weight lift from her shoulders. She felt a little bit better now that she had settled into a familiar conversation with Maki.    
  
“So what do you want to do with our day off?” Maki asked, relieved that Kotori didn’t look as pained as she had a few moments ago.    
  
“I don’t mind as long as I’m with you.” Kotori admitted. She felt herself flush with embarrassment afterwards.    
  
Maki smiled warmly though, touched by Kotori’s honesty. She rested her chin atop Kotori’s head, closing her eyes.    
  
Kotori idly pressed a finger to Maki’s chest. “W-We could go to the park. Maybe I just need some fresh air. With you beside me…”   
  
“Oh? Well we could...go and watch the Sakura in Shinjuku Gyoen…”   
  
Kotori blushed. “Isn’t that a little too romantic?”   
  
“With you, nothing is too romantic.” Maki smiled gently and tried to ignore the hint of embarrassment that niggled at her.    
  
Kotori glanced up at Maki with a small smile. “Alright.”   
  
“That or the Ueno Onshi.” Maki said, wanting to give Kotori some options.    
  
Kotori wiped at her cheeks, feeling that they were still rather sticky with tears she had shed a few minutes ago. “Shinjuku Gyoen. Let’s go there.”   
  
Maki’s lips turned up at the soft comment. “I’ll call into work and then we can leave, okay?”   
  
Kotori nodded her head in response and let Maki move away from her. “Oh and Maki-chan? You should take out your contacts. Rest your eyes for today…”   
  
Maki blushed. She never went out outside without her contacts in. “But…”   
  
“I want to see your eyes for real, Maki-chan. Please…”   
  
Maki turned to get her phone before she left for the bathroom. She returned a few minutes later wearing her thick black ray bans. They weren’t especially stylish. It seemed that Maki had picked them out for the sake of practicality.    
  
Maki felt her cheeks grow hotter as Kotori stared at her. She really wasn’t used to people seeing her with her glasses on. “I um...called in to work while I was in the bathroom. Are you ready to go?”   
  
“Yes. But Maki-chan, you’re still wearing your work clothes…”   
  
Maki looked down at herself, her eyes widening. “Damn it. Um...two more minutes. What am I even supposed to wear? What the hell are casual clothes…”   
  
Kotori chuckled softly to herself as Maki walked away and entered the bedroom. She leaned back on the couch and waited until Maki returned a few minutes later. She looked her over, noticing the long cashmere white cardigan, black button down and pair of quarter length beige khakis she was wearing. The casual look was completed by a pair of black low-rise chucks on her feet. “You look good, Maki-chan.”   
  
Maki blushed. “Not as pretty as you…”   
  
Kotori looked down at her clothes and realized something suddenly. “Damn it. I’m wearing the same clothes as yesterday. I didn’t have time to change…”   
  
“Crap. Hold on…” Maki ran into the bedroom again and before Kotori could ask what she was doing, a white button down was thrown out of the room toward her along with another skirt.    
  
“The skirt could be a little big.” Maki said sheepishly as she walked out of the room. “But it could work for a knee length kind.”   
  
Kotori felt her face redden. Somehow sharing clothes felt a lot like couples territory. “Th-Thanks, I’ll um...be right back.”   
  
Kotori felt the room quickly, heading for the bathroom and Maki groaned at her own stupidity. She probably shouldn’t have assumed Kotori would want to borrow something. Still when Kotori emerged she couldn’t help but smile softly. “Ready?”   
  
“Ready.” Kotori confirmed with a nod.   
  
\----   
  
“DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT TOOK ME TO FIND THIS PLACE?!”   
  
Eli jumped in surprise as someone suddenly yelled at her. She turned abruptly to find Nico approaching her. It seemed that Nico had been waiting for her but Eli hadn’t even noticed her when she’d left the courthouse. “How did you even know I had a case?”   
  
Nico stared at Eli skeptically as she approached the blonde. “Your girlfriend is Nozomi.”   
  
“I...ugh, damn it Nozomi.” Eli sighed, rubbing her forehead. “What do you want, Nico? I was just on my way out.”   
  
“I can see that. I was wondering if we could talk.” Nico said hopefully. She noticed Eli open her mouth to protest. “Come on. It’s almost lunch time. I’ll take you somewhere, my treat. Please? I really need someone to talk to.”   
  
Eli wanted to argue but it was rare that Nico came to her asking for help so she couldn’t. She sighed softly. “Alright, fine. I know a place around the corner, let’s go.”   
  
Nico breathed a sigh of relief. She had been certain that Eli would say no. She followed Eli, glancing down at the suit the blonde was wearing. “Seriously, how do you deal with this job?”   
  
“I like law and order. You already knew that with me being student council president in high school” Eli replied smoothly.    
  
Nico rolled her eyes and chose not to press the subject. She settled for trying to figure out what she was going to say to Eli. She spaced out the rest of the way to the small cafe Eli was taking her too, only refocusing when they were sitting down in a booth.    
  
She waited until they’d placed their orders and Eli had a cup of coffee in hand before she spoke. “What counts as rape?”

  
Eli spat out her coffee. “WHAT?!”   
  
“Just answer the question!”   
  
“W-Well I don’t…” Eli tried to focus and formulate a response but she couldn’t. “Why are you even asking me? Did something happen? I-I’m not a prosecutor, Nico. I’m a lawyer.”   
  
“I-I think I assaulted Kotori.”   
  
“What? How?!”   
  
“I don’t know if it was. Maybe statutory rape?”   
  
Eli slowly shook her head. “That involves a minor, Nico.”   
  
“Marital rape?”   
  
“THAT’S WITH A MARRIED COUPLE! Seriously, Nico, what the hell are you talking about?” Eli exclaimed, feeling her head begin to pound. “Slow down and tell me from the beginning. What happened with Kotori?”   
  
“I-I made her cry when I touched her. Then she just left in tears.”   
  
Eli stared at Nico for a moment. “Where did you touch her?”   
  
“I-I was slipping my hand into her skirt.” Nico admitted, cringing at the thought. She’d thought it was what Kotori had wanted.    
  
Eli took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. “I know you, Nico. So I know this wouldn’t have come out of nowhere. You two have been...doing other stuff, I guess? Right?”   
  
Nico nodded shakily. “Yeah. But she cried for Maki. She said she was sorry and she just left. I must have really. Damn it she even told me she didn’t desire my body, that she didn’t want to tear my clothes off like... I guess she does with Maki. Fuck, I thought the date went well too. But now Nozomi is telling me that Maki freaked out.    
  
Eli nodded slowly in response. Nozomi had cancelled their date because Maki had had a panic attack in the on call room in the hospital. “Well it doesn’t sound like you did anything...bad.” She reasoned, lowering her voice slightly. “You didn’t force yourself on her, you just...did what you thought she wanted.”   
  
“Eli, I took off my shirt. I could see she wanted to touch me but she was nervous so I-I decided to take the lead.”   
  
“Exactly. You thought she wanted it and when she got upset you backed off.” Eli reasoned logically, noticing Nico’s eyes looked a little damp. “It’s not your fault, Nico.”   
  
Nico’s expression crumbled, tears sliding their way down her cheeks and she covered her mouth with her hand.    
  
Eli scooted out of her side of the booth and went to Nico’s instead, nudging her along so she could slide in next to her. She wrapped her arms around the girl, hugging her tightly. “This wasn’t your fault, Nico. Trust me, you didn’t do anything wrong.”   
  
Nico meekly shook her head. “I feel like...I hurt her though. I-I made her  _ cry _ .”   
  
Eli gently stroked Nico’s hair, trying to calm her. “Do you like her? It sounds like you do…”   
  
“I-I don’t…” Nico squeezed her eyes shut and nodded her head. “I do. Damn it. I knew this would happen.”   
  
“Yet you went for it.”   
  
Nico nodded again. “I should have known Maki’s gayness would make her kiss Kotori. This is such a mess. You and Nozomi are lucky. You have it so damn easy.”   
  
Eli raised an eyebrow at the sharp comment. “It hasn’t always been easy.”   
  
“What do you mean?”   
  
“Do you know how long it took Grandma to warm up to us? My mother still ignores me, Nico. And don’t get me started on Umi and Honoka’s struggles.”   
  
“Right.” Nico mumbled, feeling a little guilty. She realized that Eli’s arm was still around her shoulders but didn’t bother to shrug it off. Instead she pressed closer to the blonde.    
  
“Is this about...Adele?”   
  
“Shut up about her, damn it.” Nico scowled.    
  
“Sorry.” Eli said softly. “Maybe...we could go to a...bar. I can be your wingwoman or something.”   
  
“Can I take a rain check for a while? There’s someone I have to pick a bone with tonight. And I don’t know if I’ll feel up to it after.”   
  
“Alright.” Eli agreed. “But if you need anything you can always come to the apartment. You know where it is.”   
  
Nico nodded and swiped at her teary eyes with her sleeve. “Thanks, Eli.”   
  
  
\----   
  
Kotori glanced up at Maki as she lay her head lightly on the redhead’s shoulder. The two of them had found a secluded spot in the park where they could sit under a sakura tree without being disturbed. Maki, having brought a book along with her in her bag, had elected to take the time to read.    
  
“Aren’t you supposed to look at the sakura trees?” Maki murmured, feeling Kotori’s eyes on her.    
  
“Sorry. I am, I am.” Kotori quickly turned her attention to the sakura.    
  
Maki set her book down on the grass next to her and looked up, watching the blossoms that gathered in the breeze. She felt Kotori’s arm curl further around her own. “Cold?”   
  
“No…”   
  
“Don’t lie.” Maki glanced around before she pulled Kotori closer to her.    
  
Kotori blushed at the bold gesture. She hadn’t been expecting it at all. “Maybe a little.” She mumbled, warmed by Maki’s body pressing against her. She curled further into her, a content sigh escaping her. She really did feel so comfortable when she was around Maki. She felt a hint of guilt at the reminder of how she had been acting with Nico and pressed her face into Maki’s shoulder.    
  
“You okay?” Maki asked softly, turning her head. She couldn’t resist letting her lips brush against Kotori’s forehead.    
  
Kotori nodded. “I like being with you.” She mumbled, looking down at their laps. She wished she could tell Maki the truth. That she didn’t like being without her and she couldn’t stop thinking about her. The last thing she wanted was to make Maki feel pressured though.    
  
“I like you too.” Maki’s eyes widened at her slip of the tongue. “I-I mean I like being with you. Spending time with you.”   
  
“I know what you mean, Maki-chan.” Kotori said with a light chuckle. “But just so you know, I like you too. You’re one of my closest friends.”   
  
Maki frowned slightly at that but gave a barely perceptible nod of her head. “Is that all I am?”   
  
“I think you know it’s not.” Kotori replied quietly. She didn’t want to say it outright though, that she liked Maki romantically. The girl was engaged after all. “W-What about you? Do you...just like me like a friend?”   
  
“No.”   
  
“Huh?”   
  
Maki leaned in and pushed up Kotori’s sun hat before she kissed Kotori passionately. Feeling Kotori tug her closer she pulled away. “I see you are more than a friend. I like you a lot, Kotori.”   
  
Kotori’s eyes widened in surprise. “Y-You do? I-I like you a lot too. I really like you. So much it scares me sometimes. I…” She trailed off, blushing at the serious look on Maki’s face. She grimaced, realizing she had said too much. “I just like you a lot. That’s all.”   
  
“Good.” Maki whispered, relieved that her feelings weren’t unreciprocated. “Come here.”   
  
“Wha…?” Kotori gasped as Maki pulled her into her lap. She stumbled slightly but quickly righted herself and relaxed into Maki, resting her head on her shoulder.    
  
Maki closed her eyes. She could smell the coffee Kotori had drank earlier when they were walking in the park. It smelled right. Like she was used to.    
  
“You’re so beautiful.” Maki murmured, looking down at Kotori. “More than the sakuras too.”   
  
Kotori blushed at the thoughtful compliment, a soft smile tugging at her lips. “Not as beautiful as Maki-chan.” She whispered, meeting Maki’s eyes. She leaned up, gently pressing their lips together for a fleeting second before she drew back again. She settled back into Maki’s arms, closing her eyes this time as she focused on the gentle breeze against her skin and the warmth of Maki’s embrace.    
  
Maki looked down at Kotori in her sunhat and gently pulled it off, setting it down on the ground next to them. She gently brushed Kotori’s hair back down where it was sticking up slightly. Unfortunately for her the hat was picked up by the wind.    
  
“No, no…” Maki quickly nudged Kotori off her lap and took off after the hat, trying to catch it. She jumped for it only to miss and trip over her own feet when she landed. “Uweeeh!” She landed hard on her front and groaned under her breath. Of course she would embarrass herself in front of the girl she liked.    
  
She got up and looked to Kotori only to find her on her way over.    
  
“Here you go, Maki-chan.” Kotori gently applied the bandaid she had fished out of Maki’s bag to the redhead’s cheek. “All better.”   
  
Maki smiled sheepishly. “Thank you. I’m sorry about your hat…”   
  
“It’s fine, it’s just a hat.” Kotori said with a smile. She couldn’t help it. Maki looked so cute with her messy hair and the bandaid on her cheek. Almost like a delinquent in school. She lightly ran her fingers through Maki’s hair to smooth it down for her. She grinned mischievously and noticed Maki’s eyes widen in realization. She didn’t give her a chance to react though. Instead she playfully tackled her to the grass and kissed her soundly.   
  
Feeling Maki kiss her back she smiled softly into the kiss but she couldn’t shake the slight sting she felt in her chest. They were on the same page when it came to their feelings but that didn’t change the fact that with Maki engaged, they couldn’t be together. Kotori squeezed her eyes shut to rid herself of the thought and kissed Maki harder.    
\----   
  
Nico watched from the corner of Kotori’s apartment building as Maki and Kotori stopped in front of the door to the block.    
  
“I wish I could stay with you tonight.” Kotori said softly, biting her lip after.    
  
“I know. It’s fine. We could have lunch tomorrow or something.” Maki said back, gripping Kotori’s hand. “I really liked seeing the sakura with you today.”   
  
“Same. I’ll cherish it in my mind forever. If you’d like.”   
  
Maki looked away, blushing and scowling.    
  
Kotori smiled softly. “You’re cute when you start acting tsun.”   
  
“Shut up…” Maki muttered, blushing harder. She looked back to Kotori, only hesitating for a second before she leaned down and kissed her.    
  
Nico scowled. She’d never watched them kiss but the way Kotori pulled Maki closer, not wanting to let her go, so obvious about her need to have Maki close, was unmistakable. The kiss seemed to last for as long as both of them could endure before they had to pull away for air.    
  
Maki pressed her forehead to Kotori’s, goofy smiles on both of their blushing faces. Nico frowned. It was sickening.    
  
“Goodnight, Maki-chan.” Kotori whispered. “Um...text me when you get home. So I know you’re okay.”   
  
“Goodnight. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Maki reluctantly let Kotori go so she could open the door.   
  
Kotori glanced back at Maki with a small smile. “I’ll root for you for your next operation.”   
  
Maki felt herself blush once more. “Y-You’d better. I’ll root for you too. For your fashion line WHEN it comes out.”   
  
Kotori chuckled softly and with one last glance at Maki she closed the door.    
  
Maki smiled at the door in a daze before a booming voice interrupted her thoughts.    
  
“You gonna tell your father you’re gay or what? The fucking wedding will be in two weeks. You need to fess up, dumbass.”   
  
Maki froze at the voice but waited until she was sure Kotori was far enough away before she turned around. “Nico.” She growled, turning to Nico. Sharp eyes met ruby red. “Mind your ow-”   
  
“She likes you.” Nico interrupted bluntly. “Hell I bet she’s even falling for you. And I know you’re fucking head over heels for her. You better not hurt her.”   
  
Maki scowled. “What are you that upset that we went out on a date today?”   
  
“She cried for you. Whatever we had is off. You won, Maki.”   
  
“Huh?!”   
  
“When I touched her. She cried for you.”    
  
Maki saw red at the thought. She was sure Kotori crying at anything would make her angry. “WHAT?!”   
  
Nico flinched back slightly. “See? You’re reacting violently! Admit it, you like her. As more than friends.”   
  
“B-But...I’m getting married…”   
  
“CALL IT OFF! TELL HIM THE TRUTH!” Nico exploded angrily. “You can’t hide it anymore. Do it for Kotori!   
  
Maki bit her lip. She didn’t know if she could risk her family’s legacy. “I love her…”   
  
“FINALLY!”   
  
“What am I supposed to do?” Maki asked, tears flooding her eyes. “It’s not so easy. Nico-chan, we live in a closed off society. I’m scared I’ll wind up like Eli or Umi with their families. I don’t know what to do.”   
  
“It’s...your decision in the end.” Nico said reluctantly. She wished she could push Maki to make a decision but it needed to be Maki’s own decision. “You need to make a choice.”   
  
“I want to be happy. Kotori makes me happy. Damn it.” Maki pressed her hand to her forehead. She didn’t know what to do. “I don’t know, Nico-chan.”   
  
“You need to seriously think about it. But be honest about how you feel about her. Honest with yourself at least. But if I were you I’d talk to her. Tell her your fears.”   
  
Maki looked down at the ground. “I’ll tell her the truth. And about the date of the wedding.”   
  
Nico sighed. “I’m sure if I know she knows too. That’s why she’s hiding her feelings.”   
  
Maki clenched her fists at her sides. She had to tell Kotori and her father the truth but she shuddered to think about how she would tell Nijima. What if he didn’t want to stop the wedding?    
  
“I’m gonna call it off.” She finally said, her voice soft but determined.    
  
TBC.    



	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments/likes etc guys. Hope you enjoy this chapter!
> 
> Warning(s): Violence, physical assault, threatened rape, homophobia, angst.

“Nico, I don’t know if this is a good idea.” Maki said hesitantly as she followed Nico through the halls of the hospital. She could practically feel people’s eyes on her as they passed, like everyone knew why she was there.    
  
“What? Weren’t you just talking about how you’re going to tell your dad that you’re not marrying some guy you barely know?” Nico frowned over at Maki. “You said you wanted to tell him now.”   
  
“I-I didn’t think it through. M-Maybe.” Maki drew to a stop as they reached the door to her dad’s office. “I’m scared, Nico.”   
  
“I’ll be there with you. Don’t worry.” Nico softened her voice and reached out to grasp Maki’s hand. As hurt as she was over the Kotori situation, Maki was still one of her closest friends. “What’s the worst that could happen?”   
  
“He could disown me.” Maki said nervously, her eyes shifting to the door.    
  
“And what will you do if that happens?” Nico asked patiently. She knew that the best way to keep Maki calm was to have her think of a plan for the worst case scenario.    
  
“Um, I-I…” Maki struggled to focus. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. “Kotori said I could stay with her if I didn’t have anywhere else. O-Or Nozomi would let me stay with her and Eli. Or, I-I don’t know if there’s anyone else.”   
  
“There’s me.” Nico replied smoothly, squeezing Maki’s hand. “I could help you out. Or Honoka and Umi would. Any of us would help you. You have nothing to lose from telling him the truth and everything to gain. Right? You want Kotori, don’t you?”   
  
Maki nodded her head, tearing up slightly. “More than anything.”   
  
“So you can do this. For her. But for yourself most importantly.” Nico said seriously. “You deserve to be happy too. And he’s just making you miserable. Go in there, tell him the truth and no matter what happens we’ll leave together. I’ll buy you a drink or take you to Kotori’s apartment, okay?”   
  
Maki took a shuddering breath and squeezed Nico’s hand hard. “You’ll be there? You promise you won’t leave even if he tells you to?”   
  
“I promise.” Nico said solemnly.    
  
“Okay.” Maki gripped Nico’s hand tighter and walked forward, knocking on the door. Hearing her father call for her to enter she opened the door and tugged Nico into the room. Nervous about standing in front of her father and saying what she had to say she forgot to shut the door behind her and stepped forward with Nico instead, quickly hiding their joined hands behind her back.    
  
“Maki.” Jin said in surprise when he saw her. He glanced briefly at the girl with his daughter but didn’t acknowledge her. “Can I help you with something?”   
  
Maki nodded, swallowing thickly. “I wanted to talk to you about the wedding.”   
  
“Ah, of course.” Jin smiled slightly at the thought. “The preparations are coming along well, I assume. Everything will be ready in time.”   
  
“That’s not what I’m worried about.” Maki said nervously. She felt the back of her neck prickle, a shiver running down her spine as her father frowned at her. “I...I can’t marry Nijima.”   
  
“And why is that?”   
  
“B-Because...I don’t like him.” Maki replied, stumbling over her words. “And before you say I can grow to naturally like him, I can’t do that either. I-I don’t like men, father. At all. They don’t do anything for me.”   
  
Nico rolled her eyes. “Just tell him already.” She said in a hushed tone.    
  
Maki took a deep breath. “I’m gay!”   
  
Jin stared at Maki for a long moment before he slowly shook his head. “No, you’re not.”   
  
“I-I am, I…”   
  
“You’re  _ no-” _ _   
_ _   
_ “I AM!” Maki yelled loudly in frustration. “I’m gay. I like women. I like...a woman. And I want to be with her, I don’t want to be with Nijima! I never wanted to be!”   
  
“You’re a Nishikino and you’ll do what needs to be done.” Jin rose to his feet, anger visible in his eyes. “No daughter of mine will turn her back on her responsibilities.”   
  
Maki’s eyes filled with tears. “I-I can’t marry him. I’m sorry. I can’t!”   
  
Nico’s eye twitched. “You only see her as a vessel for your stupid legacy?! I mean look at her, she’s becoming a doctor for crying out loud! She doesn’t need marriage or children or…”   
  
“She does!” Jin insisted loudly. “She is an only child!”   
  
Nico gritted her teeth. She was sure that she was holding Maki’s hand so tightly it hurt at that point but she couldn’t bring herself to care. “You should want her to be happy. She’s your daughter, not a means to a goddamn end! You know what, FUCK YOU. You know from living in a different country, I learned one thing. Blood DOESN’T matter. What matters is family. So seriously fuck you. Fuck you and your old generation!”   
  
Jin’s face reddened with anger. “Get out of my office! Maki, if you don’t go through with this wedding I want you out of my hospital! You should think very carefully about what’s more important to you. Your career is at risk, your reputation.”   
  
“Alright, shut up.” Nico scowled at the man standing behind his desk. She gently steered a tearful Maki toward the door.    
  
She shut the door behind them once they were in the hallway and gripped Maki’s shoulders. The redhead was crying softly into her hand, her shoulders trembling. “Listen to me. You can build your own reputation. You have your MD, maybe you can work at Nozomi’s hospital. Right?”   
  
“I-I don’t know. I don’t know, Nico.”   
  
Nico hugged Maki tightly, her own eyes misting up. It wasn’t fair. None of it was fair. “Come on. You need a drink. Or several. We can go out or we can go back to my place.”   
  
Maki sniffled softly and nodded her head. She felt Nico’s arm go around her shoulders and let the girl lead her toward the exit of the hospital.   
  
\----   
  
Kotori had just finished breakfast and was on the phone to her office at the rear of her apartment when she heard a knock at the door. Frowning to herself she made her way to the door and unlocked it. She opened the door, her eyes widening in surprise when she found Nico and Maki standing outside of her apartment.    
  
Kotori noticed that Maki looked sick. She was dressed in jeans and a loose sweater, her face a little paler than usual and her hair was tied into a messy ponytail. “What happened?”   
  
“She’s hungover.” Nico gently pushed Maki to Kotori who quickly caught the redhead. “Take care of her, I have to get to work.”   
  
“Wait but what happened?!”   
  
“She pulled an Umi. Her dad disowned her.” Nico called over her shoulder as she turned to walk away. She waved, jogging back down the hallway.    
  
Kotori lightly kicked the door closed, one arm wrapped around Maki’s back. Maki herself seemed to be in no hurry to pull away, her arms locked around Kotori’s waist.    
  
Kotori wrapped both arms around Maki, hugging her close as she felt Maki take a shuddering breath.    
  
“Did I do the right thing?” Maki asked shakily.    
  
“I think you did.” Kotori whispered back. She drew away after a moment to look at Maki. “Do you want to talk about what happened?”   
  
Maki shrugged her shoulders. “H-He told me that I’m not gay, that I have a responsibility to my family and that if I don’t marry Nijima he wants me out of the hospital.”   
  
“Alright.” Kotori gently rubbed Maki’s arms, a troubled look on her face. “What are you going to do?”   
  
“I can’t marry him, Kotori. I can’t, I’m...I have to tell you something.” Maki bit her lip, glancing to the side. She knew she had to come out and say it. She had to be honest with Kotori and herself. “I’m in love with you. Not Nijima. I love you.”   
  
Kotori inhaled sharply, her eyes widening in surprise at the sudden confession. “Y-You do? Me?”   
  
Maki gave a slight smile at Kotori’s evident surprise. “Yeah. Look, I know this was meant to be casual but I’ve...liked you since high school and I don’t really know how it happened but I just do. I love you.”   
  
Kotori stared at Maki in stunned silent for a moment. Feeling her mouth run dry she swallowed and shook her head. “It’s not just...a crush? Are you sure?”   
  
Maki blinked at Kotori. “Yes. Of course I’m sure.”   
  
Kotori bit the inside of her cheek, her eyes misting over with tears. She had spent the past few months worrying that nobody was going to love her, that she was only good for meaningless flings and short relationships that would only fail inevitably.    
  
“Kotori?” Maki whispered in concern.    
  
“I-I thought I was the only one who felt more than I should.” Kotori said, her voice choked with emotion. “I thought you just wanted…” She trailed off, shaking her head as tears crept from the corners of her eyes. “I love you too, Maki-chan.”   
  
Maki smiled at the reply and stepped closer to Kotori, hugging her tightly. As upset as she was over what had happened with her dad she knew it was the right thing to do. She knew she would never have been happy with Nijima.    
  
“I love you.”   
  
Maki hugged Kotori, feeling her eyes well up again. “Say it over and over. Never stop.”   
  
“I love you.”   
  
Maki drew away slightly and kissed Kotori hard, one hand going to the girl’s shoulder to balance herself. She hadn’t been sure that Kotori would even return her feelings but clearly she did. She felt Kotori’s fingers slide into her hair, tugging her closer and the older girl quickly deepened the kiss.    
  
“Let’s go to my room.” Kotori mumbled, her free hand sliding under Maki’s shirt. Her lips strayed to Maki’s neck.    
  
Maki nodded in response, her breath shuddering. She felt Kotori’s hands leave her before her own hand was lightly seized. Without hesitation she let Kotori tug her toward the bedroom.    
  
\---   
  
“You seem like you need to get laid.”   
  
Nico looked up at the interruption, frowning when she noticed a girl with red hair standing next to her, her sunglasses pushed to the top of her head. She rolled her eyes and took a swig of her drink. “Shut up.”   
  
The girl smirked and sat down next to Nico at the bar. “Boy troubles? My name’s Hisa by the way. What’s yours?”   
  
“That’s none of your business. I’m not really in the mood for company.” Nico said stubbornly. She waved the bartender over and pointed to the two shot glasses next to her.    
  
The bartender raised an eyebrow but he refilled them as he was asked, placing them down in front of her.    
  
“Don’t mind if I do.” Hisa took one of the glasses, knocking back the shot.    
  
“You’re really pissing me off.” Nico scowled before she downed her own shot. She had gone to the bar to forget about her troubles, not to be hassled by some girl she didn’t even know. “Leave me alone.”   
  
“You still haven’t told me your name.”   
  
“Yeah and I’m not going to.”   
  
“Okay, okay. I’ll stop with the flirting. I’m sorry.” Hisa held up her hands. “Seriously though, what’s wrong? I don’t like seeing a pretty girl upset.”   
  
Nico frowned. “You think I’m pretty? I mean of course I am!”   
  
Hisa raised an eyebrow. “Yes, I think so. And your drinking doesn’t seem right. Do you want to talk about it? I’ve learned it’s always better to vent to a stranger at a time like this.”   
  
Nico gave a loud sigh. “Don’t you have anywhere else to go?!”   
  
“Not tonight. I already visited my brother and sister this morning. They live outside of Tokyo.” Hisa replied with a shrug of her shoulders. “Do you want me to get you another drink?”   
  
Nico glanced at Hisa in thought. “Sure, I guess it won’t hurt.”   
  
Hisa turned to the bartender. “Can I get a glass of water, please?”   
  
Nico scowled. “Seriously?”   
  
“I told you, I don’t really think your drinking is right.”   
  
Nico turned to the girl, pausing at her warm light green eyes.    
  
Hisa cleared her throat when Nico didn’t say anything. “So what can I call you?”   
  
Nico sighed. “I’m just a girl you met in a bar. Do you really need my name?”   
  
Hisa tilted her head. “I don’t need it but it would be nice to have it. Especially if I’m gonna be keeping you company for a while.”   
  
“Fine. It’s Nico. My name is Nico.”   
  
“Well it’s nice to meet you, Nico-san.” Hisa said with a small smile. “So what…?”   
  
“I just gave the girl I like the person she wanted.” Nico blurted out. She gritted her teeth at the thought. She had known that Maki and Kotori would end up together. That she had no chance with Kotori herself.    
  
“Oh, girl troubles then. They’re a lot more confusing than men.”   
  
“Tell me about it.” Nico said with a sigh. Hisa then gently patted Nico’s back. “There, let it out. I know how it feels to give up someone you like. Well kind of.”   
  
Nico gritted her teeth. “I’m always being USED. I’m so tired of being used for my body, for comfort. Damn it! I don’t ever want to be friends with benefits again. It just hurts.”   
  
“So...go out with me.”   
  
“Huh?! Are you crazy?!”   
  
“Maybe. I mean I kind of wanted to ask you out the moment I stepped into this bar…” Hisa felt her face turn red. Now she was just making a fool of herself.    
  
Nico snorted before she began to laugh softly at the girl. “We should slow it down a little, don’t you think?”   
  
“R-Right. We don’t have to go out at all. We could just hang out. I can help keep your mind off that girl...but not like that. J-Just friends! Without benefits.” Hisa said quickly, her eyes widening in alarm. “Ugh, I’m screwing this up. Let me start again.”   
  
Nico smirked and nodded for the redhead to go ahead.    
  
“Go out for coffee with me tomorrow.” Hisa suggested, a little more confidently this time. “We can be friends. Maybe. If we even find we have anything in common or…”   
  
“You’re not doing a great job of convincing me.” Nico said in amusement. “Keep trying.”   
  
“Ah…” Hisa awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck. “We could go to the amusement park. Or the arcade. Something fun.”   
  
“Good choices.” Nico said with a thoughtful nod of her head. “I’ll consider it.”   
  
Hisa breathed a sigh of relief at the positive response. “Do you want me to take you home? I mean give you a ride home? Or I can call you a cab? My bike is right outside but if you’re not comfortable…”   
  
“Sure, you can give me a ride.” Nico glanced at her half finished drink before she decided to leave it. She stood up, a little shaky on her feet. “I’ll give you directions in a…”   
  
“Whoa there!” Hisa quickly reached out and grabbed Nico’s arms to keep her from falling. “Um, here. Sit down and put it into my phone.” She gently set Nico down and handed her phone over.    
  
“Right.” Nico mumbled, opening the maps app to type in her apartment block. She handed it back over to Hisa who looked at it thoughtfully.    
  
“Oh, I know where that is. Let’s go.” Hisa helped Nico up with a blush before she gently guided her toward the door.    
  
Nico took a deep breath once they were outside, her head spinning slightly. “Maybe I did drink too much.”   
  
“You’ll be okay. It won’t take long for me to get you home.” Hisa spotted her dark blue Yamaha sitting at the curb where she had left it. She guided Nico over there and took the helmet from the bike, carefully putting it on Nico’s head. “You okay?”   
  
Nico nodded in response and waited until Hisa got on the bike before she slid on behind her, wrapping her arms around the girl’s stomach.    
  
Hisa awkwardly cleared her throat. “Hold on tight.”   
  
“I will.” Nico replied, giving a light squeeze to emphasize her point.    
  
Hisa took a deep breath before she started the bike and pulled away from the curb.    
  
Nico felt the rush of the wind and pressed her face into the warmth of Hisa’s black leather jacket. The girl was so warm, especially in comparison to the wind around them. She focused on that instead of the speed at which they were going and soon enough the bike had drawn to a stop and Hisa was pulling away. She let go, getting off of the bike along with Hisa.    
  
“Thanks for the ride.”   
  
“Don’t worry about it.” Hisa said with a warm smile as she watched Nico take off the helmet she had been wearing. She took it back, placing it on her bike. “So um...can I may-”   
  
“Do you want some coffee?”   
  
“Yes! I-I mean um...sure.”   
  
Nico smiled at the quick answer. “Good. Come on.” She turned, walking to her apartment block with Hisa right behind her.    
  
\---   
  
Hisa woke up to a familiar ache in her shoulders and groaned as she rolled onto her side. It wasn’t uncommon for her to wake up on an unfamiliar couch, having woken up on the couches of her squad a few times but it was strange for her to wake up in such a nice apartment. She sat up, the blanket on top of her falling to her lap. She stretched her arms above her head with a sigh of satisfaction and glanced around the spacious living room, remember what had happened the previous night.    
  
She had gotten back to the apartment with Nico who had thrown up within minutes of arriving. Hisa recalled holding the girl’s hair back as she’d done so.    
  
She swung her legs over the edge of the couch, catching the scent of coffee in the air. She stood up from the couch, pushing her fingers briefly through her messy red hair and wandered into the kitchen where she found Nico brewing some coffee.    
  
“Hey.” Hisa leaned against the doorway, a smirk tugging at her lips. “Do you feel better?”   
  
Nico turned around, her eyes wide but she seemed to relax at the sight of Hisa standing there. “I...don’t remember a lot. What happened?”   
  
“We got back, you threw up and I put you to bed after I made you drink some water.” Hisa explained, making her way further into the kitchen.    
  
“Right. Um...why were you on the couch?”   
  
“You were crying about being alone so I figured me sleeping on the couch would help to calm you down. You really went to hell the moment you took a sip of that coffee last night. What kind of drunk are you anyway?”   
  
Nico blushed, rubbing the back of her neck. “Usually a poker face one.”   
  
“Until you throw up.” Hisa quipped, raising an eyebrow.    
  
“Yeah, yeah.” Nico muttered, shaking her head. “Thanks for staying. But you didn’t have to. I would have been fine.”   
  
Hisa chuckled softly. “It’s fine. Saved me having to drive home so it worked out for both of us. Besides I didn’t get a chance to give you my number last night.”   
  
Nico narrowed her eyes. “Flirting again?”   
  
“No. Just friends.” Hisa said innocently, holding her hands up. “I promise.” She glanced around, catching sight of a fashion magazine lying open on the table. “Oh, so you like fashion? It’s funny, my younger sister follows fashion. She actually follows a model named Nico.”   
  
“Oh, your sister is a fan?”   
  
“Huh?”   
  
“My name is Nico. I’m guessing she follows Yazawa Nico who works in France?” Nico asked expectantly. “Guess I forgot to change my location, hmm?”   
  
Hisa’s jaw almost dropped. “You’re kidding. YOU’RE Yazawa Nico? You’re a supermodel?! Oh wow, I’m really out of my league here.”   
  
Nico grinned and leaned in, poking Hisa’s arm. “Well well well, what happened to that bravado?”   
  
“Died. Knowing a model would never want to go out with a butch navy girl like me. You could have warned me.”   
  
Nico rolled her eyes. “Really? Come on.” She looked Hisa up and down. “I have to admit you’re pretty attractive.”   
  
“Wait, you’re flirting with me now?! Is my lack of confidence really that appealing?”   
  
Nico gave a soft laugh. “Kind of. I find it cute.”   
  
“So you’re telling me I’ve been doing it wrong all along?!” Hisa groaned and hit her head with the heel of her hand. “Damn it.”   
  
“Girls like fixing things. Not cocky assholes.”   
  
“Right.” Hisa sighed. “Sensitivity is what girls dig.”   
  
Nico nodded, chuckling to herself at the thoughtful look on Hisa’s face. “Guess I always have a thing for people I can take care of.”   
  
Hisa leaned against the counter. “Can’t say I need anyone to take care of me. I can take care of myself.”   
  
“Right. You’re in the navy. I remember.” Nico said, recalling that from a moment ago. “You’re not working right now?”   
  
“I’m...taking some time off.” Hisa said, casting a glance to the side. “Personal stuff.” She cleared her throat. “So how about it? Do I get your number now?”   
  
Nico smiled at the question. “Sure. You can have my number.”   
  
Hisa beamed at the response. “Great! Do you want breakfast? I can go and pick something up.”   
  
“Ugh, stop. I can’t eat anything right now, I’ll just throw up again. I made coffee though.”   
  
“That…” Hisa paused as her phone began to ring. She fished it out of her pocket, noticing her sister calling. “Sorry. Raincheck?”   
  
“Sure.”   
  
“I’ll see you later, Nico.” Hisa headed for the door, in a hurry to answer the call only for the phone to immediately stop ringing.     
  
“Wait!” Nico grabbed Hisa’s hand and pulled her back to her. She glanced over her shoulder, finding a pen on the counter. She remembered she’d been writing down dates for work a couple of days ago. She picked up the pen and turned back to Hisa, turning her hand so it was palm up. She carefully wrote down her number. “There.”   
  
“Thanks. See you later.” Hisa grinned and hesitated a moment before she walked out of the kitchen.    
  
Nico sighed and leaned back against the counter. Maybe a friend was exactly what she needed.    
  
\----   
  
Maki kept her head down as she walked down the hospital hallway to the intern’s locker room. Given that she hadn’t been officially fired yet she just wanted to go to work and do her job. She could hear people whispering around her though, could feel people glaring at her as she passed by. She briefly wondered whether or not she had actually been fired already but quickly shook that thought off. She couldn’t have been.    
  
She reached the locker room, finding a couple of interns she recognized hanging around with coffee in their hands. She glanced at it enviously. She hadn’t had time before work to get any herself. She trailed over to her own cubicle, her shoulders slightly slumped. Maybe Nijima had told everyone that their engagement was off. She hadn’t spoken to him herself yet but she found it difficult to believe her father wouldn’t have said something.    
  
She slid her bag from her shoulders and she was just about to put it into her cubicle when a female voice caught her attention. The woman was clearly whispering but Maki heard clearly.    
  
“Maybe it’s just a phase?”   
  
“Are you stupid?” Another female voice replied. “We aren’t high schoolers anymore!”   
  
“Shhh, don’t be so loud. It’s rude! I mean her legacy is at stake because of this, right?”   
  
Maki shakily put her bag into her cubicle, hearing a scoff. “Come on. I don’t feel sorry for her. Princess always had it easy, now she might no longer have daddy’s money anymore. So what? She brought it on herself.”   
  
“Seiko, be quiet!” A new voice exclaimed anxiously, her own voice a loud whisper. “M-Maybe it’s not just a phase. Maybe it’s like she can’t help herself. I-I heard it’s something people just have when they’re born. L-Like some people like men, maybe she…”   
  
“Oh come on, Fumiko. Even if that’s the case she should have just played it safe. Besides Satoru-kun is hot. How can she not be attracted to him?!”   
  
“SEIKO!”   
  
Maki gritted her teeth, staring hard at her bag.    
  
“You should be careful, Fumiko-san.” The first girl who had spoke advised warily. Maki finally recognized her as Yukari, another of the interns. They had spoken a few times, she recalled. “Talking like that, people will think you’re the same.”   
  
“It’s not a disease.” Maki muttered under her breath, clenching her hands into fists.    
  
“That’s not fair.” Fumiko said, her unease clear in her voice. “A-Anyway, whatever you think of it, we shouldn’t be talking with Nishikino-san right there. A-And so what if I did like woman like that?! There’s nothing wrong with it!”   
  
“What if? You practically drool over Princess’s friend when she comes to the hospital. The busty one. What’s her name? Ugh, Tami? Todo?”   
  
Maki turned her head slightly to look at the girls. The girl Fumiko was referring to as Seiko had black hair and golden brown eyes while Fumiko herself had brown hair and light green eyes. Her features were softer than Seiko’s too, her eyes troubled.    
  
Yukari burst out laughing at the suggestion, her silver grey eyes darting between Seiko and Fumiko. “Tojo?! Seriously?!”   
  
Maki grimaced at the question. “Shit…”   
  
“I-I um...w-well…”   
  
Maki let out a sigh as Fumiko’s voice shook. She turned on her heel and stepped forward. “Hey, how about you stop ganging up on her? Don’t you have anything better to do?!” She growled irritably. “Rounds are starting soon.”   
  
“You’d better get to it too.” Seiko warned, narrowing her eyes. “You can’t do whatever you want anymore...rezu.”   
  
Maki felt her face flush at the comment but before she had time to say anything back Seiko was pushing past her, walking toward the door. Yukari followed dutifully behind.    
  
Maki glanced at Fumiko who was nervously fiddling with her hands, her eyes laced with tears. “Don’t let them get to you. What do they know anyway?”   
  
“Yeah.” Fumiko muttered, quickly wiping away her tears.    
  
“You should get back to work too. Rounds, you know?” Maki said with a forced smile. She couldn’t stop thinking about what the two women had said about her. She had no idea how they had found out.    
  
“Right. Sorry.” Fumiko flushed and hurried toward the door.    
  
“Wait, Fumiko.” Maki called out. She waited until Fumiko paused and glanced at her before she spoke. “Thanks for trying to defend me. Um...I’ll see you later.”   
  
Fumiko left the room with a bright smile and Maki sighed, her shoulders slumping. She had to get ready for rounds too. She turned, heading back to her cubicle to rifle through her bag for her phone.    
  
She heard footsteps behind her but she didn’t have time to turn around before she felt a hand grab the nape of her neck and she was pushed forward. Her face hit the edge of the small cubby she kept her belongings in and she felt a rush of pain through her nose and forehead. She cried out in surprise and pain, her eyes watering.    
  
She felt lips brush against her ear. “You’ve been a bad girl. Disgusting even, for ruining me.”   
  
Maki gritted her teeth as Nijima pushed his body against hers, his knee going roughly between her legs.    
  
“I could just ruin you right here.” Nijima growled into Maki’s ear.    
  
Maki’s eyes widened as she struggled against the hold Nijima had on her, trying desperately to get away.    
  
“HEY!”   
  
Maki almost collapsed in relief at the sound of Nico’s voice. She didn’t think she’d ever been so glad to hear it. She felt sudden movement behind her and turned around when the grip on her disappeared in time to see Nico push Nijima to the floor.    
  
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” Nico yelled, backing up toward Maki as Nijima climbed to his feet. “Get the fuck out of here before I kick your stupid ass.”   
  
Nijima glared at Maki. “This isn’t over.”   
  
“GET OUT!” Nico repeated, pointing toward the door.    
  
“You should be careful, you two. Wouldn’t want any rumors getting around.” Nijima warned, glancing between Nico and Maki. His gaze went to where Maki was grasping at Nico’s wrist. He smirked at the sight. “So this is who you’re leaving me for?”   
  
“Alright, out!” Hisa pointed to the door just as Nico had a moment ago. When he didn’t move she made to take a step toward him.    
  
“Alright, I’m going.” Nijima rolled his eyes and with one last glare shot toward Maki he left the room.    
  
“Maki…” Nico turned around to face Maki only for the redhead in question to dart forward into her arms. She hugged the sobbing girl tightly, gently rubbing Maki’s back.    
  
Hisa frowned at them, more than a little uncomfortable with the situation. She had to admit she felt nothing but disdain toward the redhead herself. She gritted her teeth, red hot anger surging through her as she thought of her younger sister and how much Maki had hurt her.    
  
“Hisa.” Maki choked out, her eyes finding those of Hisa’s. “If you want to punch me you can. I’ll understand.” She pulled away from Nico and pushed her lightly to the side, bracing herself as Hisa walked forward.    
  
“Hisa, what the hell?!” Nico wedged herself between the two only for Maki to push her out of the way again. “MAKI!”   
  
Hisa looked Maki over for a moment before she shook her head and stepped back. “Whatever. It’s not worth it.”   
  
Nico breathed a sigh of relief as Hisa walked away. She really hadn’t wanted to get into a fight with her new friend. “You two know each other?”   
  
“You could say that.” Hisa muttered coldly.    
  
“I broke her sister’s heart.” Maki admitted guiltily. “She really liked me and I couldn’t...I was suddenly engaged and I didn’t want to hurt her more than I had to.”   
  
Nico’s eyes widened at the comment. “You mean Hanayo’s boyfriend’s sister is your sister too?!”   
  
“Raven.” Maki and Nico said at the same time.    
  
“Small world.” Hisa mumbled before she turned toward Nico and let out a sigh. “I didn’t know. If I’d known I wouldn’t have pursued you like I did.”   
  
“Why not? What she does has nothing to do with me? No offe-” Nico trailed off as she glanced at Maki only to see her nose was still bleeding. “Crap. Pinch your nose.” She walked over, guiding Maki’s hand to her nose and made her pinch it before nudging the girl’s head down a little. She glanced back over at Hisa. “What do you think about Hanayo? She’s Maki’s friend too.”   
  
“Hanayo is sweet. She’s good with Itsuki.” Hisa frowned, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “I like her just fine.”   
  
“See?” Nico said with a small smile. “I could be just fine too. You still want to be my friend, right?”   
  
Hisa raised an eyebrow. “Do you want me to pursue you or something?”   
  
Nico blushed. “I’m uh…”    
  
Maki glanced up at Nico, surprised to find her at a loss for words. “Wow, someone finally shut her up.”   
  
Hisa scowled slightly as she glanced at Maki but her expression cleared when she looked toward Nico again. “We’ll talk about it later. If you want.”   
  
“Jerk.” Nico muttered, still blushing.    
  
Hisa smiled at the comment. “I’ll talk to you later, Nico.” She said quietly. With one last scathing look toward Maki she left the room too.    
  
“Come on, let’s get you home.” Nico said, grasping Maki’s arm to lead her toward the door.    
  
\---   
  
Nijima paused in the hallway and looked down at the phone in his hand. He had managed to grab it at the last second before leaving the room, considering it had slid close to the door when he’d grabbed Maki. He unlocked it easily, intent on finding incriminating evidence that made it clear Nico was dating Maki.    
  
Noticing a picture message was the last thing Maki had received he opened it and raised an eyebrow at the image of a young woman with ashen hair, mostly naked. “So she doesn’t have bad taste after all. It’s the hotter one with the bust. Minami Kotori, huh? Guess it’s time for a visit.”   
  
Smirking to himself, he slid the phone back into his pocket and began the walk to his office.    
  
\----   
  
Maki glanced over her shoulder as she walked to Kotori’s door. She smiled weakly, noticing Nico waiting for her to enter the apartment. They’d taken a taxi to Kotori’s apartment but Nico was heading into work so she’d said she couldn’t stay. It seemed like she had enough time to tell the taxi driver to wait though. She waved at Nico before she knocked on the door. She just hoped Kotori was home.    
  
The door opened after a moment to reveal Kotori standing there, her hair tied up. She was clearly working from home that day.    
  
“Maki-chan!” Kotori looked surprised to see Maki. She noticed that Maki’s nose looked red and she had a bandaid on her forehead. Her wrist was wrapped up too, with a white bandage. “Come in, come in. I didn’t think I’d see you until tonight.”   
  
“Yeah, um...something happened at work.” Maki entered Kotori’s house, waiting for her to close the door behind her.    
  
Kotori slowly shut the door behind Maki. “What happened?”   
  
“A lot.” Maki grimaced. Her nose still hurt a bit from the hit she had taken but Nico had helped her clean up. She was sure her head was going to bruise too. “He...he touched me again. He told me he could do whatever he wanted to me. He said he wanted to ruin me…”   
  
Kotori’s eyes widened briefly before clouding over with anger. Her jaw tight, she grabbed her keys from the side. “I’m going to fucking kill him…”   
  
“K-Kotori, don’t…”   
  
“How can I not?!” Kotori already had her hand on the door handle but she turned around abruptly. “He wanted to RAPE you. He’s sick, Maki-chan!”   
  
Maki’s inhaled sharply, her jaw slackening. She looked down, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.   
  
Kotori’s grip on the door handle tightened. “Why didn’t you call me?”   
  
“I-I lost my phone. I would have called you but Nico just brought me here.”   
  
“Nico…” Kotori muttered to herself. “Did she stop him?”   
  
Maki nodded silently.    
  
Kotori took a deep breath, reminding herself to thank Nico later. Right now though she had to calm herself down.    
  
“Would you hate me?” Maki mumbled, drawing Kotori’s attention back toward her. “If he ever succeeded in doing...that?”   
  
Kotori recognized the fear in Maki’s eyes. “I would never abandon you. After having my own boyfriend leave me, I-I would never let anyone suffer like that. Especially you. I’m in this for the long term, Maki. I promise.”   
  
Maki took a shuddering breath, her tears coming quicker. A second later she heard footsteps before she felt Kotori’s arms go around her. She hugged her back, desperately. No matter what happened she always felt so safe in Kotori’s arms.    
  
Kotori kissed the side of Maki’s head. “I love you, okay? Whatever happens. Just...I can’t leave this alone. I can’t not say anything to him after what he did to you.”   
  
Maki’s brow furrowed. “No. Kotori…”   
  
“I need to say something, Maki-chan. Just stay here and keep the door locked, okay? I won’t be long, I promise. You can take a shower if you want and...”   
  
“NO!” Maki tightened her grip on Kotori, causing the girl to gasp. “I’m not letting you go anywhere near him. He’s dangerous, Kotori. You don’t understand. Please! Please don’t go.”   
  
“A-Alright.” Kotori said shakily, concerned by the distress in Maki’s voice. “I-I won’t. I promise. Why don’t you go and take a shower and I’ll meet you in the bedroom, okay?”   
  
“I don’t want you to go.” Maki whimpered, her hands clenching around Kotori’s shirt.    
  
“You can take my keys. I won’t leave, I promise. If you don’t want to leave me I could...sit in the bathroom and talk to you while you shower?” Kotori proposed quietly.    
  
Maki nodded shakily in response. “O-Okay.”   
  
“Okay.” Kotori breathed a sigh of relief and gently drew away from Maki, feeling the girl’s grip loosen. “Let’s go.”   
  
\-----   
  
Nico couldn’t help the smile that tugged at her lips when she got home later than night to find Hisa waiting outside of her apartment. “How’d you get in here?”   
  
“I have my ways.” Hisa said with a grin as she got to her feet, having been sitting on the floor next to the door.    
  
Nico rolled her eyes as she unlocked the apartment door. “Come on in then.”   
  
Hisa followed Nico inside, closing the door behind her. She heard the lock slide into place so she followed Nico into the living room. “How’s Nishikino?”   
  
“Fine. Shaken, I guess.” Nico said with a sigh as she sat down on the couch. She had send Kotori a text asking the same thing and Kotori had told her that Maki was holding up. She didn’t doubt that Kotori was taking care of Maki. “I didn’t think you’d want to talk about her though.”   
  
“Hey, my sister used to really like her.” Hisa said with a shrug. “She’d be upset if something happened to her.”   
  
Nico sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. She was worried about exactly that. That something might happen to Maki. She sat down on the couch with a weary sigh and buried her head in her hands. She didn’t know what to do. It wasn’t as though she could be with Maki all of the time to make sure nothing happened to her. She had work. And Maki did too, possibly.    
  
Feeling the couch dip next to her, she glanced to her left and found that Hisa had sat down next to her.    
  
“Do you want to talk about it?” Hisa asked, placing a gentle hand on Nico’s shoulder.    
  
“I don’t know what to do.” Nico said helplessly. She didn’t even know where to start with the situation. “That idiot is like a little sister to me and I feel like it’s my duty to protect her. Plus Kotori loves her and I like Kotori and want the girl she loves safe for  _ her _ too. Damn it.”   
  
“But it’s mostly because Maki’s your friend.” Hisa said understandingly.    
  
“Maki always needed guidance, even now…” Nico sighed to herself. “I mean she even believed in Santa until she was twenty one. Kotori isn’t someone that likes tough love. I have to be the one that gives it to Maki. Like the older sister she needs.”   
  
“I understand.” Hisa said with a thoughtful nod. “Trust me, I do that with Raven. Even with Itsuki at times. She’s the youngest so I don’t do it often but...Raven fusses over her too much. He helps emotionally, I help practically. It’s what we do.”   
  
“Heh, I do that with all three of my own siblings plus Maki. Makes it troublesome…but that’s what big sisters do, right? I have to give them a taste of reality before they make a huge decision. Or tell them what they’re doing is dumb.”   
  
Hisa nodded in agreement. She had felt that way when Itsuki had been dating Maki. She had even warned her a couple of times, telling her not to get in too deep with the redhead but Itsuki had stubbornly ignored her and of course Raven had wanted Itsuki to be happy so he’d sided with the youngest. She couldn’t help but think that she should have been firmer with Itsuki. Even she had a tendency to be too soft on the youngest sibling.    
  
“So I’m guessing you’re the one who made Nishikino bite the bullet with her pops?”   
  
“Damn straight.” Nico said with a nod. “At first it was for Kotori but it was also for Maki. I just didn’t want to see her make a bad decision, you know?”   
  
“Oh, I know.” Hisa mumbled.    
  
Nico sighed once more and scooted over to Hisa. Hesitantly she leaned into the girl and rested her head upon her shoulder. “I’m tired. And I’m still worried about Nijima.”   
  
Hisa blushed, glancing down at Nico’s head on her shoulder. “Um...look if you want I can...hang around at the hospital and...keep an eye on the kid for you? It’s not like I have anything else to do. I’m on sick...well on leave from the navy right now anyway. So I have time.”   
  
Nico looked up, ruby eyes meeting forest green. “You would really do that for me? It would put me at ease during work. And I could go home with her, I just need someone to look out for her when I can’t be there.”   
  
“I’d do anything for you. As a FRIEND!” Hisa made sure to hastily add the last part. “I just don’t want you to stress yourself when you have your own job to worry about.”   
  
Nico frowned slightly. “But you seem to hate her so why would you…?”   
  
“She may have been an awful girlfriend but nobody should be abused like that.” Hisa growled. She wished she had done something earlier but she had been too angry at the sight of Maki. “If he tries to touch her on my watch I’ll break his fingers. All of them.”   
  
Nico felt tears of relief build up in her eyes and she leaned in, hugging Hisa tightly. She felt hesitant arms go around her and took a shaky breath. “Thank you.”   
  
Hisa smiled sadly. “Don’t thank me, just let me take care of you. You need to lean on someone every once in a while, no matter how dependable you are. You don’t have to carry the weight on your own anymore, Nico.”   
  
Nico nodded against Hisa’s shoulder, too choked up to speak. She pressed herself closer, nestling into the young woman’s arms. She felt Hisa shift but the redhead didn’t pull away. She settled for letting Nico lean against her.    
  
Nico closed her eyes and focused on the comfortable embrace only to catch herself nodding off after a moment. She jerked awake.   
  
“It’s okay.” Hisa lifted her hand, gently running her fingers through Nico’s hair. “Just relax.”   
  
Nico let out a slow breath and relaxed, her eyes falling closed again. After a few minutes she finally let herself drift off to sleep in Hisa’s embrace.    
  
\----   
  
Kotori hurriedly locked up her workshop, her heart racing. She’d been so engrossed in what she was doing that she hadn’t noticed how much time had passed by until she saw it was dark outside.    
  
Pocketing her keys, Kotori glanced briefly at her watch. It was almost eleven, she noticed. Maki would be wondering where she was. Her hand went to her pocket to get her phone, with the intention of calling Maki but she remembered Maki had lost her phone. “Ah crap, maybe I should call a taxi inst-” She trailed off, gasping as a car careened around the corner right in front of her.    
  
“What the he…?” Kotori trailed off as the car door opened and a familiar man hopped out. “Niji-” She was cut off once more by a fist slamming into her face. She fell to the side, barely managing to catch herself on her hands.    
  
Her head spun and she felt her jacket being grabbed. She screamed loudly as she was hauled to her feet. Her eyes met the furious gaze of Nijima for just a second before he clamped his hand over her mouth.    
  
“You’re going to be sorry you ever lay eyes on Nishikino.” Niijma growled before he hauled Kotori into the nearest alleyway.    
  
Kotori struggled to get free, kicking and biting as much as she could but it only served to make Nijima hold onto her even tighter. She let out a gasp as a fist connected with her stomach just under her ribs. She felt a sharp blow to her head before everything turned black.    
  
___

  
Kotori groaned as she stirred into consciousness. She clenched her teeth at the amount of pain coursing through her. She could feel that her head was sticky with blood. Opening her eyes she saw that it was dark but that she was alone.    
  
She tried to push herself to her feet only to find that she could barely move. She collapsed back to the ground, sobbing in pain and curled into a ball, unconsciously trying to dull the throbbing in her ribs. After a few minutes she managed to think past the ache and reached down, taking her phone from her pocket with her left hand.    
  
She slid it over to herself and fumbled to unlock the slightly cracked screen without looking up too much. As best she could she found Umi’s phone number, the edges of her vision turning black once more. The phone rang for a long time and Kotori felt her tears come thicker and faster. Nobody was going to help her.   
  
“Umi-chan, Umi-chan please.” She sobbed desperately, her body aching with every tiny movement. “Umi-chan…”   
  
“Kotori! KOTORI!”    
  
Kotori wasn’t sure how long Umi had been saying her name but finally her best friend’s panicked voice was brought to her attention. “U-Umi-chan! Umi-chan, I need help. Please, please. He wouldn’t stop a-and I can’t…”   
  
“Where are you?!” Umi exclaimed loudly. There was a moment of silence before she spoke again. “I don’t know, Honoka! I’m trying...Kotori! Kotori, are you still there?”   
  
“Workshop.” Kotori managed to slur, her eyes growing heavy. “Please. Umi-cha….”   
  
\----   
  
“The door is locked, Umi-chan!” Honoka said urgently, doing her best to shoulder the door to Kotori’s workshop open. As much as she tried it wouldn’t even budge. “How are we meant to get to her if the door won’t open?!”   
  
“I-I don’t know. Honoka, calm down.” Umi gently guided her frantic girlfriend away from the door. She was panicked herself but Honoka was close to hysterical.    
  
“A-A brick. We need a brick or something.” Honoka muttered to herself, pulling away from Umi’s embrace.    
  
“Honoka! Jus…” Umi turned around only to trail off when she noticed blood on the ground. Her stomach sank with dread. “Honoka! I-I don’t think it happened inside, just…”   
  
“Umi-chan! UMI-CHAN, I found her!”    
  
Umi turned to the sound of Honoka’s voice just in time to see her girlfriend sprint into the alleyway. She followed with her heart in her throat, terrified of what she would find.    
  
“Kotori-chan!” Honoka skidded to her knees next to Kotori’s unconscious body. Her eyes widened with terror as she noticed the blood on the ground. On Kotori’s face and torn clothes. “No…Umi-chan!”   
  
Umi lowered herself to her knees next to Kotori and shakily took out her phone. She dialled for an ambulance and lifted the phone to her ear while she reached over and felt for a pulse with her other hand. She found one, much to her relief.    
  
Honoka leaned down over Kotori, her lips near her friend’s ear. “It’s okay, Kotori-chan.” She said tearfully. “We’re here now, it’s okay. You’re okay.”   
  
“I-I need an ambulance. My friend…” Umi looked Kotori over once more, her heart hammering frantically against her chest as tears slid down her cheeks. “My friend was attacked. Please hurry. She’s really hurt.”   
  
Honoka closed her eyes, zoning what Umi was saying out in favour of listening to the shallow breaths Kotori was taking. At least it was proof enough that Kotori was alive.    
  
\----   
  
Maki sighed to herself as she stared up at the ceiling. It was already two in the morning and she was starting to get really anxious. Kotori should have been back hours ago. She tried to tell herself that Kotori might have fallen asleep in her workshop, especially if she was too tired for the walk home. Maki herself had nodded off until about ten minutes ago when she’d woken once more to find Kotori hadn’t returned home yet. Finally she threw the blankets off and was about to get out of bed intending to go to Kotori herself when she heard a loud knocking at the door.    
  
She bolted from the bed and hurried out of the room, toward the front door. She threw it open expecting to find a sheepish Kotori standing there. Instead she found Nozomi at the door with an anxious look on her face. “Nozomi?”   
  
“I need you to come with me, Maki-chan.” Nozomi said, reaching out to grip Maki’s hand. “Please.”   
  
“No, I...need to get Kotori. She isn’t home yet and…” Maki felt her heart sink as tears filled Nozomi’s eyes. She swallowed heavily. “Where is she?”   
  
“She was attacked.” Nozomi reached up to dash her tears away. She had promised herself she wouldn’t cry any more than she already had but it was impossible not to. Honoka had called her in floods of tears, telling her that Kotori was in the hospital. That she had been attacked and Nozomi needed to get Maki. “Please just come on. Elichi is in the car. She’s going to take us to the hospital. Come on, Maki. MAKI!”   
  
Maki had been staring at Nozomi in silence, too shocked to speak but she finally managed to snap out of it. Her heart racing she tugged on her shoes and grabbed a jacket before she followed Nozomi out of the house. She barely managed to close the door behind her before Nozomi dragged her to the car.    
  
“She’s okay.” Maki said shakily as she got into the back of the car. “She’s okay, right? She has to be.”   
  
“I don’t know.” Nozomi said honestly, casting a glance back at Maki from the passenger seat. She felt a twinge of guilt as Maki’s lower lip began to tremble. Soon enough the redhead’s eyes were full of tears. “I’m sure she’s fine, Maki-chan. We’ll know more when we get there. I promise.”   
  
Maki nodded though she wasn’t reassured by the comment. She leaned forward, burying her head in her hand as tears slid freely down her cheeks. Kotori had to be okay.    
  
TBC.    



	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos/comments. Hope you enjoy the chapter!

“Maki-chan, wait!” Nozomi sighed as the redhead sprinted off to the hospital entrance without so much as closing the door behind her. The car had barely even stopped before Maki had leapt from it. “I’ll meet you in there, Elichi. I have to go after her.”

She didn’t give Eli a chance to reply before she scrambled out of the car and took after Maki. She barged through the doors into the hospital and found Maki at the reception desk, glaring down a scared looking receptionist. 

“If you don’t tell me where the hell she is, I’ll…”

“Maki-chan!” Nozomi placed her hand firmly on Maki’s shoulder and gave a light squeeze. 

“R-Room 204.” The receptionist said, her brown eyes wide with nervousness. “Critical condition, Sensei.”

“Right.” Maki nodded and turned to rush toward the room only for Nozomi to quickly grab her hand, dragging her back. 

“Maki-chan, you can’t go in there.” Nozomi hissed, tugging Maki a few steps away from the reception desk. “You know the rule about family.”

“I’m not…”

“You practically are!” Nozomi exclaimed loudly. She sighed, watching tears form in Maki’s eyes. “You need to wait, okay? She’s going to be okay but we...we just have to wait.”

“Nozomi-chan, Maki-chan!”

Both Nozomi and Maki turned at the sound of their names being called in time to see Honoka rushing toward them. For the first time they noticed she had been sitting with Umi, whose shirt was covered in blood. Hanayo was there too, along with Raven and Itsuki. 

Nozomi vaguely noticed that Nico was there too, her head resting on the shoulder of a redhead she didn’t recognized. The girl’s arm was around Nico in turn though and seemed to be intently staring at Hanayo, Raven and itsuki. 

Nozomi gasped as Honoka collided with her, throwing her arms around her. Making sure to keep her hand closed around Maki’s wrist she lifted her free arm, hugging Honoka gently as the girl sobbed into her shoulder. 

“They won’t let us in o-or tell us anything!” Honoka exclaimed, her voice thick with emotion and frustration. “They keep saying that i-it’s family only a-and they…”

“Well they’re going to tell me!” Maki tried to tug her hand away from Nozomi but growled when her friend only tightened her grip. “Damn it. Let me go. I’m her fiance, damn it!”

Silence echoed around the room before Eli who had appeared behind Nozomi let out an annoyed groan. 

“Damn this idiot.” Nico muttered, shaking her head. 

Hisa raised an eyebrow, glancing between Maki and Nico. “You really weren’t kidding, huh?”

“Oh my god so she is a rezu!” 

Maki glanced over Nozomi’s shoulder at the sound of a new voice only to find Yukari and Seiko standing near the reception desk, sniggering to themselves. She recognized the person who had spoken as Yukari. She gritted her teeth in annoyance. “Damn them…”

“Everyone just...calm down.” Nozomi finally said, struggling to wrap her mind around what Maki had just said. “Maki-chan, you’re not going in there and that’s final. Just sit down and wait for the doctor.”

“I AM A DOCTOR!”

“You’re an intern.” Nozomi let go of Honoka and tugged Maki over to a chair in the waiting room, gently pushing her down into it. “So you’ll sit and wait.”

Fumiko blushed at how authoritative Nozomi could be. 

“Looks like Fumiko still has her crush.” Seiko sniggered as she watched Fumiko staring at Nozomi. 

Eli glared over at the two other interns but they weren’t even looking at her. Just as she opened her mouth to speak someone cleared their throat. 

“Did...Did you say Kotori is with a woman?” Yume who already looked pale and shaken stepped forward shakily. “What happened to...to Toshiro?”

Nozomi cursed under her breath. “Maki-chan just really wants to see Kotori-chan, that’s all.” She glanced at Umi for help. Usually she could rely on Umi to be the most level headed but Umi was sitting completely still, staring ahead. Tears had dried on her cheeks and Nozomi could see that she was trembling. 

Honoka sniffled, wiping tears from her eyes. “While we were waiting for the ambulance, K-Kotori was in her arms. U-Umi-chan was trying to stop the bleeding a-and…”

Nozomi sighed and placed a gentle hand on Umi’s shoulder. “Come on, Umi-chan. Let’s go to an oncall room. We can talk in private, okay?”

Umi faintly shook her head. “I...I couldn’t…”

“Shh, I know. Come on.” Nozomi gently took Umi’s hands and drew her to her feet. It’s okay, Umi-chan. Honoka-chan, keep an eye on Maki-chan. Don’t let her near that room.” 

Honoka nodded and Nozomi left with Umi. 

Maki growled under her breath as she watched Nozomi leave. She didn’t see why she couldn’t just go and find Kotori like she wanted to. She glanced around, catching the gaze of Itsuki who was sitting a few seats from her. She quickly looked away, focusing instead on Kotori’s mom who was speaking with a receptionist. Or rather, arguing it seemed. 

Noticing movement she focused on Honoka who had moved into Eli’s arms. She watched as she seemed to sink into the blonde, her arms going loosely around Eli’s waist like they’d done that a thousand times. 

“Are you okay?” Honoka whispered so softly that Maki barely heard her. 

Eli’s lips turned up slightly at the question and she gave Honoka a gentle squeeze. “Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that?”

Honoka shook her head slightly in response. She couldn’t get a grasp on how she felt. She was scared, she knew that much. And horrified at the thought of losing Kotori. “Can we just stay like this for a while?”

“Of course.” Eli murmured back, gently running her hand over Honoka’s hair. “You’re not hurt though, are you?”

“I’m fine.” Honoka said quietly. “I’m fine. Better than Umi-chan and Minami-san...a-and Maki-chan.”

“She really is an idiot sometimes.” Eli muttered, glancing at Maki who was still watching them intently. 

“She’s crazy in love. I can relate to that.” Honoka took a deep breath and slowly pulled away, dashing at the tears that lingered in her eyes. She sniffled, flashing Eli a watery smile. “Kotori-chan is going to be okay. Right?”

“Right.” Eli moved to sit down next to Maki, tugging Honoka to sit down next to her. She flinched slightly as Honoka pressed close to her side, resting her head against her shoulder. “Honoka…”

“Come on, it’s just my head.” Honoka muttered, her eyes flitting closed. She hadn’t slept yet, she realized. And it was the middle of the night. “We’ve done worse before.”

Eli blushed, casting a sidelong glance at Maki who seemed to be listening intently, a puzzled look on her face. “Not a word, Maki.”

“While you were with Nozomi?” Maki asked, frowning slightly. 

Eli shook her head. “We weren’t together yet. It was just before Umi got kicked out of her house and Nozomi was in medical school.”

“You were with Nozomi before you graduated though?” Maki asked in confusion. 

“Eli-senpai and Nozomi-chan were on a break.” Honoka said, tiredly opening her eyes. “And Umi-chan was inheriting her father's estate and she had...marriage meetings. We were only...together for a few months.”

“If you call a year a few months.” Eli mumbled under her breath. 

Honoka straightened up. “Um...Nico-chan, can you keep an eye on Maki-chan? I need to talk to uh...Eli-senpai.”

Eli raised an eyebrow. 

“Not that!” Honoka exclaimed, blushing. “Serious talk. Just come on.” She got up and grabbed Eli’s hand, not waiting for her to answer before she tugged her toward the doors leading outside. Once they were out of the building she led them a little away from the entrance to where it was a little darker. Nobody was around anyway, given the time. 

“Honoka…”

“I was being discreet!” Honoka said, pouting as she turned to face Eli. “Now Maki-chan’s going to think it was serious between us.”

“Well it was…”

Honoka grimly looked away. “Umi-chan needs me.”

“Nozomi needs me too. I think. But she’s been so…” Eli sighed and shook her head, struggling to think of the right words. 

“Exhausting to live with?”

“She’s a WORKAHOLIC!” Eli groaned, running a hand through her hair. “And it’s not just that, I feel like...she puts everyone else before me. I mean last week she cancelled our date to spend the night with Maki. Some nights she doesn’t come home until late, I just...I know it’s selfish but I want to feel like I’m the most important to her again. Like I did with her before. Like I did with...you. You always made me feel like you loved me.”

“Eli…” Honoka pressed her forehead to Eli’s, sighing softly. “Nozomi-chan loves you too. I know she does. She’s just distracted right now. You should talk to her about it.”

“Yeah.” Eli muttered, closing her eyes. She swallowed against the lump in her throat. “I’m sorry. I love Nozomi. But...sometimes I really miss you.”

Honoka hugged Eli tightly, her eyes prickling with tears. She took a shuddering breath as she felt Eli bury her face in her neck. She would need to talk to Nozomi about what was going on. It wasn’t right for Eli to be so unhappy. 

\------

Kotori woke to a blinding light that hurt her eyes but it was nothing compared to the pain that wracked the rest of her body. Her brow furrowed and she whimpered softly. 

“Kotori?”

Kotori heard a familiar voice and forced her eyes to open wider than they had been. “M-Mom?” She rasped, looking toward the source of the nose. Indeed she found her mother standing at her bedside. Feeling a hand grab hers she looked to the other side of the bed to see a tearful Maki standing there. 

“Maki-chan.” Kotori felt tears fill her eyes as she looked at Maki. She had thought she would never see her again. 

Maki leaned down and hugged Kotori tightly, a sharp sob springing from her throat. She felt Kotori hug her back, desperately. “I’m here. You’re okay now. I’m right here.”

Kotori sniffled softly, vaguely feeling her mother gently stroking her hair. After a moment she heard her mother speak up. 

“Kotori, the…” Yume closed her eyes as her voice cracked. “The police are waiting outside. They want to talk to you about what happened.”

“NO!” Kotori grimaced as pain shot through her ribs. She doubled over slightly, accidentally forcing Maki away and clutched her stomach. Her eyes watered with pain. “N-No, I-I don’t remember anything. I can’t…”

Maki frowned slightly as scared amber eyes flicked toward her. She perched on the edge of the bed, gently touching Kotori’s shoulder. “It’s okay.”

Yume glanced between the two for a moment, her brow furrowed before she spoke. “I’ll have a word with them. I’ll just be outside.” She waited for a nod from Kotori before she left the room. 

“Kotori.” Maki whispered as Kotori bowed her head. “You don’t remember anything at all? About who…”

“It was Nijima.” Kotori said, her voice slightly choked up with emotion. 

Maki’s eyes widened in horror. She had feared as much but she had been hoping it wasn’t the case. “You need to tell the police, he can’t just get away with this!”

“And risk him hurting you next? I can’t.” Kotori stubbornly shook her head. She wouldn’t let anything happen to Maki. “I can’t, Maki-chan.”

Maki swallowed thickly against the lump in her throat. “W-What did he do to you? Did he…?”

“I don’t know.” Kotori closed her eyes tightly, her hands gripping the sheets on top of her tightly. “I blacked out.”

There was a moment of silence and when Kotori opened her eyes again Maki was pale. Strangely pale. She looked angry too though. 

“I-I have to…” Maki shook her head. She felt sick and faint but more than that she felt furious with Nijima. “I have to go. I’m sorry.”

“Go? Maki-chan…” Kotori tried to catch Maki’s hand as she stood up but to no avail. Maki moved too quickly. Tears slid down Kotori’s cheeks, unnoticed by her. “Please don’t go. I’m sorry, I didn’t...please, Maki-chan.”

Maki barely heard what Kotori was saying. She fled the room, ignorant of Kotori tearfully calling after her. A few steps away from the door she almost ran right into Yume. 

“What are you doing?” Yume asked, clearly able to hear her daughter’s despair. “You’re just going to leave?”

“I’m trying to do something…” Maki tried to edge past Yume only to be blocked by her once more. “What?!”

“Don’t you need to be with your fiance?” Yume asked bluntly, causing Maki to pause in surprise. “She needs you right now, Maki. I don’t know what’s happening between the two or...what you really are to each other but she needs you with her.”

“I want to...but I can’t.” Maki whispered, her eyes flitting to the left. “This is all my fault. I need to do something. I have to go, I’m sorry.”

With that said, she moved quickly past Yume and hurried down the hallway, her eyes prickling with tears. Her hands curled into fists as she neared Nijima’s office. She was a few feet from it when someone stepped into her path once more. 

“Where are you going?” Hisa asked, raising an eyebrow at Maki. She supposed it was a good thing Nico had told her to stand guard near the office in case Maki turned up there. She wasn’t sure how Nico knew that Maki would do that though. 

“Get out of my way.” Maki growled, trying to push past Hisa. 

“Nope.” Hisa placed a hand on Maki’s shoulder and lightly pushed her back. “Let’s take a walk, Nishikino.”

Maki growled angrily. “Get out of my fucking way.”

“No.” Hisa replied coolly. She sighed when Maki tried to shove her way past once again. “Seriously? Would you calm down for a goddamn minute?!”

“No, I need to…”

“How are you going to help your girlfriend by ending up in the hospital too?!” Hisa interrupted loudly. Seeing a flicker in Maki’s eyes, she sighed. “Just come with me for a minute so we can talk. Please. If you still want to go in there afterwards I’ll come with you to make sure he doesn’t beat you up too much.”

“Thanks.” Maki muttered sarcastically, rolling her eyes. Nevertheless she let Hisa take her by the shoulders and steer her back the way she had come. She let herself be led toward the waiting room where she found Nozomi waiting alone. 

“She’s your friend, right?” Hisa asked as she guided Maki toward Nozomi. “It’s best she talks to you. I’m not in any kind of mood to cheer you up right now.”

“Maki.” Nozomi said in surprise as she looked up to find Maki and Hisa pause in front of her. “What’s going on?”

“I’m gonna find Nico.” Hisa said simply before she turned and walked away. 

Maki sighed and sat down next to Nozomi. “It was Nijima. Who hurt Kotori. I want to...damn it, I just want to hurt him as much as he hurt her.”

Nozomi sighed, her shoulders slumped. She couldn’t say she was surprised by that. Nobody else had any reason to want to hurt Kotori. She tried to think of something to say to Maki but she couldn’t. She was exhausted. She had spent the past couple of hours trying to get through to Umi but Umi was beside herself. “Maki, am I a good doctor?”

Maki hesitated for a moment, distracted from her thoughts by the sadness in Nozomi’s voice. She reached out, carefully taking Nozomi’s hand. “Nobody is good. We just do what we can.”

“I can’t do anything.” Nozomi whispered, blinking back tears as she stared down at her lap. “I can’t help Umi, I don’t even know where Elichi is...I just keep screwing up. Professionally and personally.”

Maki awkwardly cleared her throat. “I um...Kotori told me that she doesn’t know if Nijima only um...physically assaulted her. I asked and...she said she didn’t know and I ran. Not away from her, I just wanted to get my hands on him…”

Nozomi sighed once more. “We’re both terrible with relationships.”

“It’s...just a doctor thing, Nozomi.”

“Maybe it shouldn’t be. Maybe they deserve better.” Nozomi glanced sideling as Maki to see her wince. “Sorry, I’m...projecting. I know. I need to figure things out for myself. And talk to Elichi.”

“You should before Honoka makes her move.” Maki said jokingly. 

“Don’t joke about that.” Nozomi said, frowning at the thought. “When I was in graduate, seeing Eli’s instagram after our breakup was...hard. Really hard.”

Maki’s brow furrowed slightly. “What did you…?”

“Eli and Honoka were together, Maki-chan. I even saw a video of Honoka waking up Eli after...you know.” Nozomi let out a heavy sigh. “I’m scared of them getting close. If Umi starts hiding things from Honoka, pushing her away…”

Maki briefly bit her lip. “Maybe you should be trying to get closer to Eli then? No offence but earlier, when you got to the hospital you just...left her. Honoka was the only person who asked Eli if she was okay.”

Nozomi gritted her teeth in response. She remembered, she had been preoccupied with everything else that had been happening. “Do you know where Elichi is?”

Maki awkwardly cleared her throat. “With Honoka. I think...they needed to talk about something. You saw how upset Honoka was about Kotori.”

Nozomi groaned, running a hand over her face. “I really need to talk to Elichi.”

Maki gave a slight nod of her head. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“If Honoka and Eli were so happy together, why did they break up?” Maki asked warily. “How did Honoka end up with Umi?”

“It’s...complicated.”

“No seriously, how?!”

“Umi kissed Honoka when Honoka was with Eli, okay?” Nozomi said wearily. “It’s just really complicated. But this is how it is now. Honoka and Eli broke up. They’re not getting back together...unless I keep screwing things up.”

Maki bit the inside of her cheek to keep from saying anything as she recalled the way Honoka had acted around Eli earlier. They had acted more like a couple than Nozomi and Eli had in a while. “You really need to talk to Eli. Apologize.”

“I know.” Nozomi mumbled. Realizing she was still holding onto Maki’s hand she gave a light squeeze before letting go. “You should talk to Kotori too.”

Maki nodded solemnly. She had some apologizing to do too. 

\---

Eli closed her eyes as soft lips brushed against her own, a stark contrast to the cold, hard wall her back was pushed up against. Honoka’s front was pressed to hers, soft and inviting. 

“Honoka.” Eli whispered, her eyes half-lidded as she lifted her head to chase Honoka’s lips with her own. She sighed when Honoka leaned back slightly. 

Honoka gently brushed a strand of hair behind Eli’s ear. “I miss you too, Eli-senpai.” She said softly, inching forward. This time when Eli leaned in to kiss her she didn’t move away. Her eyes flitted closed at the first touch and she kissed Eli back, pressing as close to her as she could. 

Familiar hands settled at her waist, gripping as if to tug her forward. Honoka whimpered slightly at the touch and pressed her tongue past Eli’s lips, deepening the kiss. Her heart pounded against her chest as she felt Eli’s hands move up, bunching her shirt into her fists. 

She remembered how many times they had done this in the past. It was so familiar and yet somehow at the same time it all still felt new to her. 

The sudden sound of her message alert tone drew Honoka from her stupor and she pulled away from Eli before she reached down, fumbling with her phone. It was a text from Umi, asking her to meet her in an on call room. “I-I have to go.”

“Right…” Eli said, her cheeks flushed red as she stared at Honoka. “Um, Honoka…” She hesitated when Honoka looked at her. “N-Nevermind. I’ll see you back in there.”

Honoka managed a small smile. She paused, looking like she was about to say something but finally reached out and touched Eli’s hand before she left, tugging her shirt back down as she did so. 

Eli sighed as she watched Honoka go. She didn’t know what to make of that kiss. But she had to talk to Nozomi. 

\----

Hisa gave a sigh of relief when she finally found Nico on the roof of the hospital. She walked closer, wrapping her arms around herself. “There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

Nico turned to face Hisa, surprised to see her there. “I just needed some time to think. Figured nobody would look for me here.”

“I was worried.” Hisa said with a frown as she walked closer to Nico. “Are you okay?”

Nico shrugged her shoulders. She didn’t feel especially okay. Her friend was in the hospital and the person who had put her there was working in the same hospital. It infuriated her. “Not really. Did you find Maki?”

“Yeah. Took her to your other friend like you asked me to. Sounds like Kotori woke up.” Hisa said, casting a glance over the side of the roof. She grimaced at the height. It was a long way down. 

“Fuck Nijima.” Nico growled, kicking angrily at the ground beneath her feet. It was cold outside, she realized but her skin prickled hotly with anger. “If I get my damn hands on him, I swear…”

“You really care about her, huh?” Hisa asked thoughtfully as she watched Nico. 

“She’s my friend. And…” Nico felt her voice give way with emotion and she turned from Hisa, lifting a hand to cover her suddenly teary eyes. “Fuck. This never should have happened.”

Hisa sighed and walked over to Nico, gently turning her around. She leaned down and hugged her carefully, trying to soothe the clearly upset girl.

Nico sniffled softly and melted into Hisa’s gentle embrace, letting her tears emerge for the first time since she had heard the news about Kotori. 

\----

Umi looked up hopefully when the door to the on call room opened, although her stomach promptly sank again when she didn’t find Honoka stepping into the room but rather a girl she didn’t recognize. 

“Oh…” The girl paused in the doorway, a surprised look on her face. “I-I’m sorry, I...didn’t know anyone else was in here. You’re...Sonoda-san, right?”

Umi quickly wiped her tears from her cheeks, confused by how this girl she had never met knew her name. “And you are…?”

“Oh, sorry. I’m Itsuki. My brother is dating one of your friends.” Itsuki said with a small, sheepish smile. “I was waiting with you in the waiting room?”

“Right. I didn’t notice. Sorry…” Umi looked down at the floor, noticing her hands trembling in her lap. 

“Are you okay?” Itsuki asked carefully, inching forward. She pushed the door shut behind her, assuming Umi wouldn’t like anyone to see her in the state she was in. “Can I get anyone for you?”

Umi silently shook her head. She knew that Honoka would be on her way. She had received a response from her a few minutes again. “My girlfriend is on her way, I-I’m fine…”

“Alright.” Itsuki was about to leave but she noticed Umi biting her lower lip and hesitated. “Can I stay with you for a while? Until your friend gets here? I can just...sit quietly if you want me to. I don’t really think you should be alone.”

Umi gave a silent nod and Itsuki moved toward her. She sat down next to Umi on the bed but at a respectful distance. 

She stayed silent but after a moment heard a soft sob from the girl next to her. She glanced over in concern to find tears sliding their way down Umi’s cheeks once more. She swallowed thickly and tried to think about what her siblings would do if she was the one who was upset. “Um...d-do you want a hug?”

“You don’t know me.” Umi said, her voice thick with emotion. 

“It doesn’t matter. You’re upset.” Itsuki said with a shrug of her shoulders. “Maybe it’ll help?”

Umi looked toward Itsuki, finding sincerity in the girl’s eyes. “Just for a minute.” She replied hesitantly, warning herself a small smile from Itsuki. The blonde opened her arms and Umi shuffled closer, turning so that she could sink into them. 

Surprisingly the embrace was both warm and gentle yet firm at the same time. Umi felt the panic she had been feeling ebb slightly and shakily lifted her arms to clutch at Itsuki tightly. She was grateful that Itsuki didn’t say anything when she didn’t pull away after just a minute. She sniffled softly into the girl’s shoulder instead, her eyes shut as she tried to block out the events of the night. She was tired of replaying it over and over again in her head. 

Itsuki gently stroked Umi’s hair, choosing to stay quiet. There was nothing she could say to make the situation easier and she got the impression that Umi would only end up more upset if she did try to say anything. She settled for comforting her without words. 

\----

“Honoka!”

Honoka was halfway down the hallway when she heard Eli calling out to her. She turned to see the blonde in question jogging toward her. She opened her mouth to speak before Eli collided with her, hugging her tightly. “E-Eli-senpai…”

“I’m sorry.” Eli whispered. “I shouldn’t have done that. We agreed to keep our distance and I’ve just screwed it all up. I’m sorry.”

Honoka let out a soft breath, gently rubbing Eli’s shoulder. She should have known that Eli would be panicking about what happened between them. “It was just a kiss. It’s okay. Besides, I kissed you first. We were just thinking about how things used to be between us. It doesn’t have to mean anything. You have Nozomi-chan and I have Umi-chan...and we’re friends, right? We can get past this.”

Eli slowly eased away to look at Honoka. “What’s happening between us, Honoka?”

“Old habits die hard.” Honoka explained quietly. “I don’t know. When we were together you were always there for me and...I really loved you once. Maybe I just fell back into the habit of needing you when things get hard. Umi-chan can’t handle this stuff, she’s still recovering from...her own PTSD. And now with Kotori getting hurt because she’s with a woman...it’s too much for her.”

“Honoka, let me take care of you.” Eli whispered, reaching for Honoka’s hand. “You deserve more than a few minutes to be scared before you go off to take care of Umi and Kotori. You almost lost your best friend. Let me help you.”

“No, I can’t.” Honoka drew away, holding her hand close to her chest. It tingled where Eli had touched her. “We’re not together anymore. I need to do this on my own.”

“No, you don’t. Don’t you dare turn into Nozomi.” Eli said sharply, stepping forward. Honoka stepped back to counter “Please, Honoka. Just calm down. I’m right here. I told you I’ll protect you.”

“I think that was the other way around.” Honoka blinked back tears stubbornly, trying to calm herself. “With your mom and all…”

“Just shut up and let it out. I want to help you.” Eli said softly, stepping forward. “We might not be together but you’re still one of my closest friends. Just let me help. Please.”

Honoka bit the inside of her cheek and shook her head. She couldn’t let herself break. She had to be there for Umi and for Kotori. It was strange but in the past few years their roles seemed to have reversed, with Umi and Kotori needing her more than she needed them. Besides breaking up with Eli, everything had gone right for her. 

Eli stepped forward and hugged Honoka tightly, seeing a flicker of doubt in her eyes. She felt Honoka gasp and fight against her for a moment but held tight, refusing to let go. Finally Honoka seemed to relax completely and collapsed against her, breaking into sobs. 

Unable to hold Honoka up Eli lowered them both to their knees, hugging Honoka close even as tears stung at her own eyes. “It’s okay. I’m here. You’re okay.”

“I’m a terrible friend. I don’t know what to do with either of them.” Honoka said tearfully, her face pressed into Eli’s shoulder. 

“No, you’re not.” Eli disagreed, shaking her head. She glanced around, hoping that nobody was going to disturb them. They weren’t exactly in a private place. “You’re always there for them. You’re a good friend, Honoka. I promise.”

Honoka shook her head in disagreement and slowly drew back. Her hands went to Eli’s shoulders, their eyes locking. “I don’t know what to do anymore. I don’t know how to help.”

“I know.” Eli said soothingly, a troubled look on her face. “But you need help sometimes too. Just let me…”

“Why?” Honoka interrupted bluntly, earning herself a confused look from Eli. 

“Because I want to.” Eli said softly. She didn’t know what else to say. She just wanted to help, there was no other reason behind it. “I miss my friend, Honoka. I miss you. I just want you to stop pushing me away.”

Honoka took a deep breath and got to her feet. “I have to find Umi-chan. I’ll find you later, Eli-senpai.”

“Right.” Eli got to her feet, her shoulders slumped and watched as Honoka walked away from her. 

Honoka brushed away her tears as she made her way to the on call room, passing a couple of doctors on the way. She knew she wasn’t really supposed to be walking around the hospital on her own but nobody said anything. Possibly because it was so late. 

She turned the corner in time to see the on call room door open. She saw Umi step out with a girl she vaguely recognized as Raven’s sister. Honoka promptly stepped back behind the corner to stay out of sight. 

“Some tea will make you feel better.” Itsuki was saying as she led the way out of the room. 

“Yeah. Thanks, Itsuki.” Umi rasped in response, clutching the sleeve of Itsuki’s sweater for support. 

Honoka frowned as she watched them head down the hallway together. It seemed that Umi had completely forgotten that she was on her way. Her heart sank at the thought. She had been hoping that she would be able to spend some time with Umi, just the two of them. It seemed that Umi would rather spend her time with someone she didn’t even know though. 

Tears clouding her eyes, Honoka turned and ran back the way she had come, hoping to find Eli waiting for her. She found the hallway empty. 

\----

“I’m surprised you text me.”

Honoka looked up in surprise from nursing her coffee but promptly relaxed when she found Eli standing over her. “I guess my incognito isn’t working out, huh?”

“Don’t worry, I would recognize you anywhere.” Eli quipped with a smile as she sat down opposite Honoka at the table. She looked Honoka over, taking in her glasses and cap. She had been wearing a mask too, it seemed but she had taken that off to drink her coffee. She couldn’t help but grin at how cute Honoka looked. 

“Don’t give me that look.” Honoka grumbled, averting her eyes. 

“Sorry.” Eli leaned back in her seat, tugging at her tie to loosen it. She unfastened the top button of her blouse before reaching up to pull her bun out. 

Honoka bit her lip as she watched. “Tough day at the courthouse?”

“This case is a pain in my ass.” Eli sighed loudly. “I should have been a prosecutor.”

Honoka gave a hesitant smile. “Maybe. But that’s not really you.”

“I guess.” Eli muttered before she met Honoka’s eyes once more. “You said you wanted to meet up? Is everything okay? Is Kotori…?”

“She’s fine. I saw her again earlier and she’s...shaken but she’s okay.” Honoka said hesitantly. She glanced off to the right for a moment. “I just wanted to see you, that’s all. Um...do you want a coffee or…?”

“I’m fine.” Eli said softly, shaking her head. If she was honest she’d probably had too much coffee. She noticed Honoka’s gaze dip down and raised an eyebrow. “Honoka?”

Honoka looked away from Eli’s unbuttoned shirt, blushing. “It’s nothing, I’m fine.”

“Is that Kousaka Honoka?!”

“What?! Wasn’t she in the latest romance movie?! Unmei no Hito?”

Eli groaned at the sound of a couple of women speaking excitedly nearby. “Come on, we’re leaving.” She stood up, grabbing Honoka’s hand and tugged her up. Casting a dark look at the women, almost daring them to follow, she led Honoka out of the cafe and onto the street. “Shit. I’m sorry, I didn’t think…”

“It’s my fault. I should have suggested somewhere quieter.” Honoka said with a sigh as she followed Eli down the street. 

“We could go back to my place if you still want to talk?” Eli suggested hopefully. “I’m parked nearby. Or I could drive you home?”

“Uh…” Honoka nervously bit her lip. She wasn’t sure if being alone with Eli was a good idea. Still, she needed to talk to her. “Umi is out with a friend. So you can come to my place. If that’s okay?”

“Um...Nozomi is working late so I’d rather have someone at home.” Eli said regretfully. “Either or is fine, right? We could watch that movie. I got the DVD before anyone else.”

Honoka couldn’t help but laugh at the hint of pride in Eli’s voice. “I’m not watching myself. Let’s find something else to watch.”

Eli scoffeed. “Typical hot shot actress. Fine. You were so good though. I almost thought you were bi...or straight.”

Honoka rolled her eyes. “I’m gay. Gay as the pride flag.” 

Eli grinned as they reached her car. She unlocked it and gestured for Honoka to get in before she climbed into the driver’s seat. 

“I missed this.” Honoka said after she’d buckled her seatbelt. “You were always so laid back. And teasing. And...I mean let’s go.”

Eli smirked as Honoka busied herself with messing with the radio. She still had it, it seemed. She pulled away from the side of the street and headed in the direction of home. 

The drive was made in relative silence for a while, the radio playing quietly as Eli drove. Feeling something warm against her thigh she glanced down, finding Honoka’s hand resting on her leg. She swallowed thickly, cursing herself for wearing a skirt. She didn’t say anything though, not wanting Honoka to move. The simple touch made her feel wanted. 

Honoka didn’t move her hand until Eli had pulled into the parking lot of the apartment building. She didn’t even seem to notice it even as she moved it and got out of the car. Eli followed, her heart beating slightly faster than usual.

Leading the way into the building and up to her apartment she was vaguely aware that she was blushing and kept her face lowered to keep Honoka from seeing it. 

Honoka followed Eli into the apartment, glancing around. “I don’t think I’ve been in here for a while.”

“Yeah.” Eli said softly as she closed the door. She slipped her shoes off, along with Honoka. “Not much has changed.”

“A lot had changed.” Honoka mumbled to herself as she walked into the living room with Eli. The blonde gestured for her to take a seat and she did so, sitting down on the couch. “I shouldn’t stay long. I have to get back to Umi.”

“Give me a second to change.” Eli said, nodding to her bedroom. She lightly touched Honoka’s shoulder on the way past, causing the girl to shudder. 

Honoka took a calming breath as she listened to Eli fumble around in the bedroom. She just need to stay calm, that was all. 

“Sorry.” Eli said apologetically as she walked out of the bedroom in a loose shirt and a pair of hip hugging sweatpants. “What did you want to talk about?”

“Um…” Honoka hesitated as Eli sat down next to her. “Us, actually.”

“I get it.” Eli said, leaning back against the couch. “You’re with Umi and I’m with Nozomi. What happened between us was just a spur of the moment. You probably told Umi already, right?”

Honoka shook her head. “I didn’t tell her. She’s busy with Raven’s little sister now. They’re friends. I’m happy for her. And I don’t want to bother her with this. I actually just wanted to apologize for snapping at you. I do want us to be friends. I guess I was just worried that it would be confusing. I was in love with you back when we were dating.”

“Yeah.” Eli said softly, watching Honoka frown. “You keep saying...you were. When did you stop? I never really asked when we broke up. I figured it was less painful not to.”

Honoka hesitated for a moment but settled for answering with a question of her own. “When did it stop for you? I-I mean assuming you were in love with me…”

“I am.” Eli said softly, causing Honoka’s gaze to flit up to her own. She felt a brief spike of panic. “I didn’t want to break up with you. And I didn’t stop loving you.”

“I…” Honoka swallowed thickly. “It was for the best. It didn’t work between us.”

“Liar.” Eli accused, frowning. “We’re more miserable than we were together. A lot more miserable. We were good for each other. You know that.”

“I…” Honoka bit her lip. “I love her and I love you but...I love her. And you love Nozomi.”

“I don’t know, Honoka.” Eli said doubtfully. “I don’t know anything anymore. I mean look at Kotori and Maki and Nico. Nothing is ever certain. You’re the only one who makes me feel whole. I feel safer with you than anyone else. I don’t even know...I don’t even think Nozomi loves me anymore.”

Honoka felt her chest ache as tears brimmed in Eli’s eyes. She silently cursed Nozomi under her breath. The girl was one of her best friends but she could be so thoughtless at times. Honoka didn’t doubt that Nozomi loved Eli, even if she wasn’t in love with her. Nozomi would still love Eli. But it didn’t seem like Eli could see that. 

Honoka gently took Eli into her arms. “If you’re unhappy maybe you should end it. You deserve to be with someone who loves you, Eli-senpai. Someone who has time for you. Maybe it’s for the best.”

“Isn’t that you?” Eli whispered against Honoka’s neck. “You idiot actress.”

Honoka winced. “I-I have a girlfriend, Eli-senpai. You know this is a bad idea.”

“You deserve better too.” Eli murmured drawing back slightly. “I could be better for y-”

Honoka interrupted Eli by kissing her, her hands going to the back of the blonde’s neck to draw her close. She was surprised when Eli kissed her back without hesitation but she didn’t draw away this time. She let Eli tug her close and shifted so that she could guide the blonde down onto her back. She wasn’t sure how long it had been since Umi had kissed her. Or looked at her like she wanted her. She could feel that Eli wanted her though, in the way that Eli deepened the kiss and tugged at her shirt. She could feel the longing emanating from the blonde. 

Slowly, she drew away and looked down at Eli. She gently stroked the girl’s cheek. “I do love you, Eli-senpai. I just…”

“Shhh.” Eli gently removed the glasses still on Honoka’s face. “It’s okay. I know.”

Honoka let out a shaky breath before she leaned in and kissed Eli once more, pushing her back down onto the couch. 

\----

Nico was on her way into the hospital when she spotted a familiar blonde ahead of her. Figuring that Eli must have decided to stop by to see Kotori before work, just as she had, she jogged to catch up. “Eli!”

Eli turned to see Nico approaching her. “Hey, Nico. Going to see Kotori?”

“Yeah.” Nico paused, narrowing her eyes at Eli’s chipper tone. Nobody should be that chipper, especially so early in the morning. “Oh my god, you had sex.”

Eli paled, the smile that had lingered on her lips quickly slipping away. “NICO!” She grabbed Nico’s arm and tugged her away from the entrance to the hospital. 

“Not with Nozomi then?” Nico asked warily at the panicked look on Eli’s face. “Whoa. Okay, who did you sleep with? Wait...Honoka? Holy shit, that’s messed up.”

“I know!” Eli hissed, quickly glancing around. “I...I still love her, okay?!”

“Well considering you slept with her, yeah you are.” Nico said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. “Either that or an idiot who wants to throw her relationship away for a stupid fling.”

“It’s not a fling! It was never a fling, Nico.”

“Okay, okay. I’m sorry. Just tell me the whole thing. I’m not judging you.” Nico said calmly. “I know Nozomi has been buried in her work. It’s not working out with the two of you, huh?”

Eli shook her head. “Honoka and I have been talking...hanging out more. I’m happy around her and she is around me even when we’re afraid of what’s happening.”

“You two were good for each other.” Nico said softly, her brow furrowing. “I was kind of surprised when you got back with Nozomi and her with Umi.”

“It was a mistake...I think.” Eli said regretfully. “I thought it was what she wanted and she thought that I deserved better. Idiot…”

Nico stared at Eli for a moment. “What are you going to do, Eli? Is she going to break up with Umi? Are you going to break up with Nozomi?”

“I think I have to. It’s not working with us and...it’s not fair to either of us.” Eli answered honestly. “Honoka loves me. But she loves Umi too so I-I don’t think she’s going to break up with her. I can’t really ask her to, can I?”

“I don’t know.” Nico said, shrugging her shoulders. “And I thought I was in a messy situation with Maki and Kotori…”

Eli sighed heavily. It was a mess, Nico was right. “I love her, Nico. I need her.”

“Just be careful you don’t get hurt again.” Nico advised quietly. 

\----

“Honoka, be careful!” Maki snapped as Honoka slumped down next to Kotori on the hospital bed. 

Kotori flashed Maki a small smile. “She’s fine, Maki-chan. Don’t worry.” She glanced at Honoka, frowning slightly and sniffed near her. “Why do you smell like chocolate?” She watched as Honoka blushed. “Oh, don’t tell me you did something I would do. Honoka-chan!”

“I-I didn’t mean for it to happen!” Honoka protested hurriedly. “I just...she was there a-and...it’s Eli-senpai!”

Maki had been glancing between Honoka and Kotori in confusion but realization suddenly dawned on her. “Seriously, Honoka?”

Honoka glanced away, frowning. “Shut up, Maki. You cheated on your fiance.”

Maki pouted while Kotori grimaced slightly. 

Honoka buried herself into Kotori’s side, being as gentle as she could. “I love her. I still love her, Kotori. She made me so happy.”

Kotori gently wrapped an arm around Honoka’s shoulders. “What about Umi-chan?”

“I love her too. I don’t want to hurt her but she never has time for me. I need...I want to feel like someone wants me.” Honoka admitted, staring down at Kotori’s lap. “I feel like I do everything in the relationship. I always have to initiate all of the kisses even though Umi-chan was the one who kissed me when I was with someone! I feel like this is too one-sided. I love her. But I don’t think she loves me. In the same way, I mean. I know that Eli-senpai loves me.”

Kotori held Honoka close to her. “You need to follow your heart, Honoka-chan. Where does it guide you?”

“To Eli-senpai. But I can’t. It’s not just about me.” Honoka felt her eyes prickle with tears and quickly blinked. She couldn’t hurt Umi, even if their relationship was one-sided. She needed to find that out first. And she needed to ask Umi what she wanted. 

Kotori shared a troubled look with Maki. “I hate seeing you upset. You’re my best friend. Umi-chan is too but if you’re right and Umi-chan doesn’t love you in that way...she still loves you as her best friend. She’ll understand.”

Maki frowned, thinking of her conversation with Nozomi. It seemed that it was already too late to keep Honoka from capturing Eli’s heart again. “Don’t hurt Eli, Honoka.” Maki warned sharply. “Nozomi will kill you.”

“Well she should have paid attention to Eli-senpai!” Honoka growled, lifting her head from Kotori’s shoulder to glare at Maki. “She’s hard for her to live with! What is with you doctors screwing up your personal lives?! She really hurt Eli-senpai and she doesn’t even know! Don’t you dare fucking patronize me, Maki-chan! Nozomi-chan screwed up her own chances and she made Eli-senpai miserable! I’m not an idiot!”

Maki stared at Honoka speechlessly, stunned by her anger. She had never heard her sound so angry. 

“And.” Honoka continued, holding up a hand as Maki opened her mouth to speak. “If you ever hurt Kotori-chan like that I’ll kick your ass!”

Maki raised an eyebrow before she slowly relaxed into a smile. She reached out, gripping Kotori’s hand. “It’s never going to happen. Trust me. Unlike other doctors I like being distracted. And being able to relax in the arms of the person I love when I’m upset...I’m not going to throw that away for a job.” 

Kotori smiled warmly at Maki and gripped her hand back. 

“What if Umi-chan hates me?” Honoka asked hesitantly. “I’m not saying I’m breaking up with her! I don’t know yet but what if she hates me? I don’t want to lose her completely.”

“You won’t. I promise.” Kotori said reassuringly. She noticed Maki’s confused look but gave a slight shake of her head. She knew that Umi wasn’t especially happy either but didn’t want to break up with Honoka and end up breaking her heart. The two just needed to talk to each other. 

\----

Maki stared vacantly at the drinks machine in front of her, waiting for it to finish dispensing the coffee she had purchased. She had decided to step out for a few minutes to give Honoka and Kotori some time to talk in private. She had planned to stay with Kotori for the entire day but she wasn’t concerned about leaving her alone for a few minutes. Honoka was still there after all. 

“Nishikino-sensei?”

Maki looked up, her blood running cold at the sight of Kotori’s mother approaching her. “S-Sensei! Um...Kotori is just in her room with Honoka if you want to go in.”

“I was actually hoping to speak to you for a few minutes.” Yume said, pausing near Maki. She gestured to the row of three seats behind them. “If you have a moment?”

“Right. Sure.” Maki turned back to the coffee machine, fumbling to take her finished drink. She winced as the liquid splashed a little onto her shaky fingers but promptly followed Yume to the small seating area. 

“You don’t have to look so worried.” Yume advised as Maki sat down next to her. “I just wanted to talk to you about Kotori. And your relationship with her.”

Maki nodded hesitantly although that was what she had been worried Yume would say. “Shouldn’t you be asking Kotori about this though? It wasn’t really fair of me to say what I did. I didn’t know you were there and I shouldn’t have been the one to tell you that…”

“I don’t care that Kotori is dating a woman.” Yume interjected before Maki could finish speaking. “It did come as a surprise, I have to admit that but it’s the least of my concerns right now.”

Maki’s brow furrowed slightly. “I don’t know what else you want to know. I love her and...I want to be with her. Even if my father hates me for it…”

A small smile tugged at Yume’s lips. “She seems to be happy with you and that’s all that matters to me. Almost all that matters. I want her to be safe too. Can you tell me that she’s going to be safe if she’s with you?”

Maki hesitated for a moment before she shook her head. “I...I don’t know.”

Yume stared long and hard at Maki. “Was she hurt because she was dating you?”

“I…” Maki swallowed against the lump that formed in her throat. “Yes. But he won’t go near her again. I’ll get him put behind bars. Somehow.”

Yume was silent for a moment before she gave a nod in response. “All I want is for her to be safe and happy.” She slowly got to her feet. “I can’t stay for long so I should go in there. Do you want to come with me?”

Maki gave a slight shake of her head. “Maybe in a little while. I don’t want it to be too crowded for her.”

“I’ll let her know you’ll be back.” Yume offered a fleeting smile before she turned and headed down the hallway to her daughter’s room. 

Maki sighed softly and leaned back in her chair. Yume was right, she had to do something about Nijima. He deserved to be in prison for what he had done. Her hands closed into fists. She knew what she had to do. 

\----

Eli stared vacantly at her computer screen, trying to focus on the research she needed to do for her latest case but her mind was elsewhere. She couldn’t stop thinking about how good and familiar it had felt to be with Honoka again. To lose herself in the feeling of wanting someone and being wanted in return. Still, she felt guilty at the fact that she had cheated on Nozomi. Their relationship had been on and off for years but Nozomi deserved better. 

Still, her mind kept drifting to the feeling of Honoka’s lips on hers, to the gentle touch of Honoka’s hands and the marks that had been left on her thighs and shoulders. 

A knock at the ajar door to her office caught her attention and she looked up. Her stomach sank at the sight of Umi standing there. “Umi. What...what are you doing here?”

Umi hesitantly stepped into the office. “I was hoping to talk. Do you mind?” She waited for a moment but when Eli merely stared at her she closed the door behind her. “Um...I heard that you took care of Honoka on the first night Kotori was in the hospital. I just wanted to thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me for that. I would always do that for her.” Eli said sharply, leaning back in her seat. “I care about her too, you know.”

Umi flushed in response. “I know. I mean you two were together…”

“We’d still be together.” Eli replied in a clipped tone of voice, narrowing her eyes at Umi. She sighed when Umi merely looked away. “Is that all you wanted?”

“No, I...I wanted to say I’m sorry.” Umi said quietly. “I ruined your relationship and I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I was going through a lot and I just wanted to tell her my feelings.”

“She broke up with me because she ‘cheated’. Because of you.” Eli growled, getting to her feet. She glared over at Umi. “Save your apologies.”

“I’m sorry. But I-I loved her too.” Umi replied, a hint of anger in her own voice. “I love her. I couldn’t just...keep those feelings to myself.”

Eli gritted her teeth. She almost wanted to tell Umi out of spite. A little bit of payback wouldn’t hurt. But she couldn’t do that. She had to keep her cool. She took a deep breath and sat back down. “And you just think it’s fair that you made her break up with me beca-”

“I didn’t MAKE her break up with you!” Umi cried in frustration. “She wanted to be with me, that was all. She chose me because she’s comfortable with me. I’ve loved her since school and she knew that. With you she always felt like you deserved better than her, tha-”

“SHE DESERVES BETTER!” Eli yelled, losing her cool for a moment. She was silent for a moment after, as was Umi who appeared too surprised by the outburst to speak. “It doesn’t matter. She’s with you now. Just...leave it alone, Umi.”

She turned back to her computer screen, trying to ignore the tightness in her chest. She knew that her time with Honoka would be short and Umi’s explanation only made that more apparent. 

“I didn’t mean to ruin our friendship either.” Umi said softly, her shoulders slumped. “I hope that I can fix it. Someday.”

Eli didn’t say anything as Umi left her office but she did feel a twinge of regret. She didn’t like that she had lost a friendship which had been important to her either but her anger at Umi dulled that grief. 

She took out her phone, seeing several messages from Honoka. She scrolled up to where they started before slowly scrolling down again. 

‘I’m sorry about last night. I didn’t mean for that to happen. Are you upset with me?’

“I don’t want to ruin things for you and Nozomi...but I don’t regret what we did. I missed you.’

‘I love you’. 

Eli took a deep breath before she typed out her own message. ‘I need to see you again. Tonight at my place?’

She was about to set her phone aside when Honoka text her back. 

‘I’ll be there.’

\----

Kotori looked up hopefully as the door to her room opened and Maki stepped inside. The look on Maki’s face told her she didn’t have good news though. “I can’t leave?”

“You need to stay in for another couple of days. For observation.” Maki explained sheepishly. “If it makes you feel any better I found Umi waiting outside.”

Kotori sat up slightly, noticing Umi follow Maki into the room and close the door behind her. “Hi, Umi.” She mumbled, forcing a small smile to her lips as she settled back against her pillows. She was happy to see Umi but at the same time she was disappointed that she couldn’t leave. She just wanted to go home. 

“Hi.” Umi echoed softly as she walked into the room. She leaned down and gave Kotori a careful hug, mindful of her injuries. She could see that Kotori was still quite bruised and there was still a bandage in place on her head. “How are you feeling?”

Kotori shrugged glumly. She was in pain and terrified that Nijima would come for her again. “Let’s not talk about me. How are you? And Honoka?”

Umi settled in the seat next to Kotori’s bed. “I-I need your advice actually. I know it’s unfair of me to ask right now...you’re in the hospital and you’re recovering but I don’t know what to do.”

“It’s fine. Just tell me what’s wrong.”

Maki leaned against the wall near the door, deciding it best to keep her distance for the conversation the two were about to have. 

Umi guiltily averted her eyes. “Me and Honoka...I don’t feel the same way I felt three years ago. I’m a terrible person, I know. I just...I love Honoka and I know I like girls but Honoka just...you know about um…”

“Umi-chan?” Kotori pressed gently when Umi trailed off. 

“I was almost...oh god, this is shameless.” Umi felt tears form in her eyes. “I just...I mean I thought I could be with Honoka. I mean I ruined her relationship with Eli and...well Eli kind of hated me because of that but Kotori, I just...I want my relationship to be slower. I love Honoka but she’s miserable with me. I just know it. I can’t give her what she wants and I-I don’t know what to do.”

Kotori stared at Umi for a moment, considering what she had said. “You said you love her but...are you in love with her? Do you want to you know…” She paused for a moment, trying to figure out how to be tactful. She had to be especially gentle when it came to Umi. “Be intimate with her?”

Umi blushed. “I-I’ve been fine with kissing and making out but too much, I don’t think I can handle...I don’t want to be afraid of Honoka, I’m just...cautious when it comes to things like that.”

Kotori’s eyes widened. “So you two have never…”

“Shut up!”

Maki grimaced, wondering if she should even be hearing the conversation. 

“Umi-chan.” Kotori reached out and leaned over the bed with a slight wince, catching Umi’s hand in her own. “If Honoka-chan isn’t making you happy, I think you know what you need to do. You deserve to be happy. She does too.”

Umi blinked rapidly against her tears. “But I love her.”

Kotori sighed softly and scooted to the left, letting go of Umi’s hand. “Come here, Umi-chan.”

Umi hesitantly climbed up onto the bed with Kotori and let her wrap an arm around her shoulders. She leaned into her with a soft whimper. “I don’t know what to do.”

“I can’t answer that for you, Umi-chan.” Kotori said softly, rubbing Umi’s shoulder. “You need to think about whether you love her as a friend or more than that. No matter what happens, the two of you will always be best friends. I promise.”

Umi sniffled softly and nodded her head. She knew she couldn’t make Honoka happy with the way she was now. “I-I’ll think about it.”

\----

Eli anxiously stared down at her hands as she waited for Honoka to arrive. She was meant to be there already but she had yet to arrive and Eli was starting to worry that Honoka had had second thoughts. 

Hearing a knock at the door she jumped to her feet and quickly rushed to the door. She opened it and to her relief found Honoka standing there, albeit in her incognito disguise. She opened her mouth to say something but before she could Honoka tugged down her mask and leaned in, kissing Eli hard. 

Eli squeaked in surprise but managed to gather her wits enough to kiss Honoka back and tug her into the apartment before pushing the door closed. She felt Honoka’s arms go around her shoulders and drew her closer in response. 

“Honoka.” Eli mumbled against Honoka’s lips as she felt the younger girl press flush against her. 

“I really don’t regret this.” Honoka said breathily, drawing away for a moment. “Or you. I need you, Eli-senpai. More than anyone. I love you.”

“I love you too.” Eli said, her voice trembling slightly. She knew that Honoka meant what she was saying but that didn’t change the fact that they were in a complicated situation. 

Honoka let her arm drop, her hand sliding over Eli’s thigh. “You haven’t changed.”

Eli blushed. “I was too excited waiting for you…”

“Sexy lawyer look is a turn on.” Honoka said, her voice lower than usual as she met Eli’s blue eyes intently. 

“So is incognito actress.” Eli replied, her heart hammering against her chest. She didn’t think it mattered how many times she did this kind of thing with Honoka, it always made her heart race. She glanced briefly toward the door to make sure she had slid the chain into place. 

“Eli-senpai.” Honoka gently nudged Eli’s cheek, encouraging ice blue eyes to meet her sky blue. She smiled softly. “I want to take you out tomorrow.”

“Wow, unlike last time we’re having sex before the date…” Eli drawled, raising an eyebrow. 

“Well it’s exciting. Doing this in an...untraditional order.” Honoka smirked at Eli before settling back into a slight smile. “You deserve everything.”

“I deserve you.” Eli whispered, brushing a strand of hair from Honoka’s face. “That’s all I want.”

Honoka’s smile faltered. “I don’t deserve you…”

“Shut up, you do. You deserve the best and I’m the best. I can be the best for you.” Eli pulled Honoka in close, kissing her warmly. “You deserve everything too.”

Honoka let out a soft breath, holding Eli tightly. “I need to be with you. You make me happy. Happier than I’ve been in a long time. I feel like I can breathe again when I’m around you. You’re so warm and safe.”

Eli hugged Honoka tightly, feeling her eyes mist with tears. She had wanted to hear that for a long time and yet it was upsetting that Honoka was only just realizing. They’d lost so much time together. And it wasn’t even likely that they’d have much more time. “I love you.” Eli breathed out. “I want to be with you. I want…” She trailed off, stopping short of requesting what she wanted. She couldn’t ask Honoka to leave Umi. Not when Honoka still loved her. “Will you stay with me tonight? We’ll be...alone until morning.”

“Yeah.” Honoka answered softly. 

\----

“Don’t you have to go home?” Kotori murmured drowsily, resting her head upon Maki’s shoulder. As much as she didn’t want Maki to leave she knew it wasn’t fair to keep her there either. Her friends had long since gone home following their visits, telling her they would see her when they came the next day. Even Rin had called her after hearing the news. 

“I can stay the night.” Maki said softly, giving a slight shake of her head. She had the previous night too but she doubted that Kotori remembered. She’d been too heavily dosed with painkillers then. “Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.”

Kotori nervously bit her lip, glancing to the right at the seat Maki had abandoned a short while ago in favor of climbing onto the bed with her. “I don’t want to be a burden to you.”

“What? You’re not. That’s crazy.” Maki frowned, shaking her head in response. There was no way Kotori could ever be a burden to her. “I want to be here, trust me. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now. Besides, you helped me when I was a mess last week, didn’t you? It’s only fair.”

Kotori managed a small smile at that. “It’s not really the same thing. But I don’t want you to leave so if you’re sure.”

“I’m very sure.” Maki confirmed, kissing the top of Kotori’s head. “And I’ll be sure when I stay tomorrow too.”

Kotori chuckled softly and let her head rest against Maki’s shoulder. “What about the next day?”

“The next day we’ll be in your bed. At home.” Maki replied with a happy sigh. She could hardly wait to get away from the hospital. She had decided that tomorrow she would need to speak to her father about what had happened but she was dreading that too. She wasn’t sure what his reaction would be, given how he had reacted when she’d told him she wasn’t interested in Nijima. She quickly decided to change the subject. “Hanayo is coming back to visit tomorrow too, I think…”

“I think everyone else is too.” Kotori said softly, glancing back at Maki with a small smile. She felt guilty that they were going out of their way to visit her but she appreciated their company. They kept her mind off of things she didn’t want to think about. 

Maki turned slightly more toward Kotori, wrapping her arm carefully around her. “I love you, Kotori.”

Kotori was slightly taken aback by the sincere comment but it didn’t take her more than a moment to respond. “I love you too.”

“I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” Maki whispered, her chest tight at the thought. She should have been more wary the first time. She should have known what Nijima would do. “I promise.”

Kotori nodded slightly, nestling her head into the crook of Maki’s neck. 

\----

Maki took a deep breath, bracing herself before she lifted her hand and knocked lightly on the door to her father’s office. She waited for a moment until she heard him call her in before she opened the door and stepped inside. 

“Maki.” Jin said, surprised to see her. He frowned as he watched her close the door behind her. “What are you doing here?”

“M-My friend is…”

“I know.” Jin interrupted. “I heard that your friend was admitted to the hospital a couple of days ago. How is she?”

Maki swallowed thickly. Although her father was being civil, she knew he was just asking the question to be polite. “She’s getting better. The doctor’s said she could go home in a couple of days. I-I wanted to help but I was told my privileges were revoked…”

“I’m aware.”

Maki gritted her teeth. That was such a typical answer from her father. “I-I lied before when I said she was my friend. She’s not, she’s…”

“Maki…” Jin warned warily. 

“She’s my girlfriend!” Maki blurted out, raising her voice slightly in case he tried to interrupt her again. “Can’t you just accept that?! She’s still from the ‘upper class’, damn it. I love her. And...and Nijima found that out. He found out and he attacked her because of my relationship with her! I wanted you to know that, even if you won’t do anything about it. He’s abusive and violent and I could never love someone like him!”

Jin’s lips formed a thin line. “He was the one who attacked her…”

Maki nodded, her stomach twisting uncomfortably. “He’s hit me before too. Once. He also threatened t-to touch me…”

Jin’s eyes widened as he watched tears form in Maki’s eyes. “He has…”

“M-Many times. But I always fought him off or outsmarted him.”

Jin looked down at his papers on his desk, his hands shaking slightly atop them as he gritted his teeth. Finally, letting out a deep breath her grabbed his phone and called to the nurse’s desk. 

“Tell Nijima-sensei to come to my office. NOW.” He put the phone down abruptly and turned his attention to Maki. “Minami, huh? Her family does own the school and her child is extremely smart. After I fire Nijima would you please ask her mother to come to my office?”

“H-Huh?”

“We have much to discuss. I’d like to speak with her about future plans..”

“W-Wait!” Maki spluttered in protest. “I-I’m still in my twenties, Papa! Wait, you’re...you’re accepting me?”

Jin gave a sigh in response. “You’re my daughter. Of course I would have preferred that you weren’t...like this so that you’d have an easy life. But if Minami-san makes you happy...I wouldn’t oppose completely. Besides her own family is an elite so you can still fulfill your responsibility.”

Maki froze, her eyes wide. “C-Can I hug you...Papa?”

“Is the door closed?”

Maki nodded emphatically. 

“Yes.” Jin stood and stepped around his desk, accepting Maki into his arms. He wasn’t quite prepared for the force with which she hugged him and he almost stumbled back a step. He held firm though, leaning down to hug her due to their height difference. 

“Thank you.” Maki said tearfully before she reluctantly pulled away. She flashed her father a watery smile just as there was a knock at the door. 

“I’ll take care of this.” Jin said, placing his hand briefly on Maki’s shoulder. He moved it away again before he called for Nijima to come in. 

The door opened and Nijima walked into the room. He looked surprised to see Maki and Jin together. “Nishikino-sensei, how can I…?”

“Sit down.” Jin ordered sharply, nodding to the chair in front of his desk. He nodded at Maki, silently telling her to leave. 

Maki kept her head down as she quickly left the room. She didn’t want to look at Niima in fear that she would snap and punch him for what he did to Kotori. She closed the door behind her and hastened down the corridor, in a hurry to get to Kotori. 

\----

Nozomi was surprised to find the lights off when she got home. She closed the door, locking it behind her and stepped further into the apartment. 

“Elichi?” She called cautiously, switching the light on. She wasn’t sure where Eli would be at the time in the evening. Usually Eli would be home. “Elichi?”

She headed to the living room, her stomach sinking. She had been hoping to surprise the blonde by getting home early and maybe taking her out. “Elichi?”

She sighed heavily as she realized that Eli wasn’t home. 

“Damn it.” She muttered to herself. She supposed she would have to wait until Eli got home. Deciding to take the time to change and shower she headed to the bedroom to gather up her clothes. She decided to change into sweats and a loose shirt, figuring she could change later if they decided to go out. 

She slipped into the shower, letting the warm water wash over her as she mulled over where Eli could be. Her girlfriend hadn’t mentioned going out anywhere. 

She got out of the shower and started to dress slowly only to speed up when she heard the front door opening and closing. She quickly left the bathroom, heading for the door only to freeze as she turned the corner. The first thing she noticed was Eli and Honoka standing near the closed door. Eli’s arms were around Honoka’s neck as she kissed her, Honoka’s arms around Eli’s waist in turn

Nozomi’s eyes flitted to the stuffed blue bear on the ground. She noticed that Honoka’s beanie was lying nearby. She opened her mouth but she couldn’t say anything. All that came out was a breath of air. 

Eli smiled against Honoka’s lips, pressing her back against the wall behind her. 

“Well someone is fiery...mmph!” Honoka’s teasing was cut off by Eli kissing her lips once more. 

”Stupid sexy incognito actress…” Eli growled against Honoka lips. 

Honoka chuckled and let her eyes open as Eli kissed her again. She froze, catching sight of Nozomi behind Eli and quickly pushed the blonde off of her. 

“Oh shit. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Honoka exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock. “N-Nozomi-chan, um...I uh…”

Eli had realized what had happened as soon as Honoka has pushed her away but she cringed at the sound of Nozomi’s name and slowly turned to face her girlfriend. “Nozomi...damn it. I...this isn’t how I wanted this to unfold.”

Nozomi swallowed hard against the lump in her throat. “How did you want it to go?”

“I-I um…” Eli hesitated uncertainty. She wasn’t sure Nozomi really wanted an answer to her question. “I don’t know. I wanted to speak with you this weekend. I just think..we’re not working anymore.” She looked away, holding onto her arm and bit her lip. “I’m not happy. In fact I usually dread coming home because I feel so alone. Y-You always put others before me...I mean I know how you are but...I don’t like that. I hate it. I like being the only person someone looks at. Maybe I’m a complete brat for thinking that way but I just...like my partner to shower me with affection. At least sometimes. Honoka...has always done that. And Umi doesn’t like all of the attention Honoka wants to give her partner. We...I still love her.”

“And I still love Eli-senpai.” Honoka chimed in quietly. As much as she didn’t want to hurt Nozomi she had to be honest. “And she’s right. I also feel alone. I just felt my relationship with Umi-chan is...one sided sometimes. I mean I want a partner not to just bicker with but...I want someone who’s laid back and enjoys my affectionate side. Always wants to kiss, hug, touch...Eli-senpai always seemed to love that. And she makes me happy. So happy I could cry.”

Nozomi stared at them for a moment before she replied quietly. “So you’re going to...leave Umi-chan?” She asked before she looked to Eli. “And you’re leaving me?”

Neither Honoka nor Eli said anything for a moment but finally Eli spoke up. 

“It’s not fair on either of us to keep going like this, Nozomi. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry if I’ve hurt you but we can’t keep doing this. It’s not healthy. You deserve someone who’s patient, not someone who wants attention 24/7. I’m not going to ask Honoka to leave Umi. And this...thing between us might not go anywhere but what’s best for me and you is to...just stop. I still want to be your best friend but that’s all we can be.”

Honoka glanced down at the floor. It was more than just a fling to her. She loved Eli and she did want what they had to go somewhere. She just wasn’t sure what to say to Umi. She still loved her best friend too. 

Nozomi took a shuddering breath and nodded her head. “I’ll um...head back to the office. I’ll pack up my stuff on the weekend.”

Eli’s lower lip trembled slightly at seeing the sheen of tears in Nozomi’s eyes. “Nozomi…”

“We’ll talk more, I just...need some time.” Nozomi said hoarsely as she turned away. “I’m just going to change and I’ll be out of your way.”

Eli opened her mouth but Nozomi had already left for the bedroom to change and most likely pack a bag. 

Honoka turned, wrapping Eli in a hug. She felt Eli’s tears on her neck and closed her eyes as she hugged her tightly. “Senpai, you’re so brave.” She reassured, her voice cracking slightly. She wished she could be as honest as Eli. “I wish...I wish I could be as blunt as you. You just want her to be happy. And you want to be happy too. She’ll understand that.”

Eli nodded though he couldn’t speak. She knew she had to give Nozomi some space, it was just hard. “W-Will you…?”

Honoka drew away slightly and gently kissed Eli’s tears. “I’m here. I’m not letting go. Umi-chan is with Itsuki again anyway so I’m not going anywhere.”

Eli nodded in relief. She didn’t know what she would have done if she’d had to spend the night alone. “Thank you.”

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Eli woke to the feeling of movement next to her and sleepily turned over. She blinked against the dim light of the lamp on the bedside table only to find Honoka shuffling off the bed.    
  
“Leaving without saying goodbye?”   
  
Honoka looked over her shoulder at the sound of Eli’s voice, having been reaching for her shorts next to the bed. Eli had let her borrow a long shirt the previous night thankfully so she hadn’t had to sleep without anything on. She was sure it would feel odd to spend the night like that in the apartment Eli shared with Nozomi.    
  
“I have to get back to reality sometime.” Honoka said with a small smile. “Umi-chan’s going to be wondering where I am. I told her I was staying with Kotori-chan last night but...I should get back.”   
  
Eli pushed herself into a sitting position, crossing her legs under her as she watched Honoka. “Do you love her that way?”   
  
“I don’t know anymore…” Honoka said with a slight frown. “All I know is I love you more. I don’t know what to do…” She trailed off, shaking her head. She could hardly think about that right now. “Can I see you later? After work?”   
  
“The answer is always yes, Honoka. I can pick you up later if you want me to.” Eli offered hopefully. “After you finish you could call me to let me know.”   
  
Honoka nodded as she slowly pulled on her shorts. “I have a TV drama role coming up soon. It’s an adaptation of a popular novel called Haru wa Kimi no Uso. I got the leading role for the female. It’s pretty dramatic. And yes, I’ll be partnered up with a boy.”   
  
“What’s it about?” Eli asked curiously, leaning back against her pillows.    
  
“Music.” Honoka answered, tugging off the shirt Eli had let her borrow. She quickly changed back into her own clothes. “But in a different genre. More classical. My character’s gonna die.”   
  
“What?”   
  
“She has ALS. She used to play the piano. The boy is a newcomer with a sad past. He inspires her to play again but she decides to lie about her illness in order to play against him in the music competition.”   
  
Eli blinked at Honoka. She supposed she should have realized Honoka would be taking on major roles. “Oh. Well if you need to study I can help you with the history side and Maki can teach you about piano. So there’s Bach, Mozart, Chopin...”   
  
“Wait, that’s the one I need to learn the most of!”   
  
“Chopin? His work is pretty depressing…”   
  
“Really?”   
  
Eli nodded in response. “As I said, I can teach you the history. I used to play violin too, remember? And Maki can help you too.”   
  
“Yeah.” Honoka finished dressing and moved to sit down on the bed next to Eli. “Are you going to be okay? After what happened with Nozomi-chan…”   
  
Eli’s eyes flickered with sadness at the mention of Nozomi’s name but she nodded her head. “It had to happen. I didn’t want it to be like that but we couldn’t have stayed together. I’ll give her some time and then I’ll try to speak to her again…”   
  
Honoka nodded and leaned back against the pillows next to Eli, resting her head against her shoulder. “I love you.” She whispered, allowing her eyes to close. As much as she wanted to fall asleep right there and forget about going home she had to get back to Umi. “You know...I kinda imagine kissing you every time I have a romantic acting partner.”   
  
“Not Umi?”   
  
“Yeah…” Honoka sighed softly. “I’m horrible.”   
  
“No, you’re not.” Eli soothed gently. She wrapped her arm around Honoka’s shoulders and kissed the top of her head. “I only think about you like that.”   
  
Honoka smiled meekly at the reassurance and pressed closer to Eli, deciding that another five minutes or so in bed wouldn’t be so bad after all.    
  
\----

 

Kotori stared straight ahead at the blank television screen, a frown flitting across her face as she listened to her mother opening and closing cupboards in the kitchen. Her mom had insisted that they make sure Kotori was stocked up on groceries when she got back from the hospital and she had opted to stay until the evening so that Kotori wouldn’t be alone.    
  
Kotori sighed heavily. It had been fifteen minutes already. “Mom, what are you doing?” There was no answer for a moment and she frowned in confusion. “Mom?!”   
  
“I’m making lunch.” Yume answered as she stepped back into the living room. “Can I get you anything?”   
  
Kotori shook her head. “You don’t have to stay. I’ll be fine by myself.”   
  
Yume fixed Kotori with a skeptical look. “I’ll stay until Nishikino-sensei gets here at least. It’s your first day back from the hospital.”   
  
Kotori rolled her eyes. “She’ll be here in a minute, mom. She was just calling her dad outside. And you can call her Maki.”   
  
“But honey, you might marry a doctor. I don’t want to be informal.”   
  
Kotori’s eyes widened. “Moooom!”   
  
Maki stepped into the living room at that exact moment, her brow furrowing as she glanced between the two of them. “Sorry, am I interrupting something?”

  
“Not at all.” Yume answered brightly while Kotori blushed and looked away.    
  
Kotori finally met Maki’s eyes, smiling softly at the sight of her. “You look pretty.”   
  
Maki looked down at her hoodie and scrubs. “Thanks? I haven’t changed yet though.”   
  
Yume beamed as she watched the two of them interact. “Ah, I’ll get back to making lunch and give you two some time alone. Oh, Nishikino-sensei, have you thought any more about what I suggested?”   
  
“You mean…” Maki’s eyes widened slightly. “Oh um...no. Not really. I-I figured it would be too soon to think about that. I-I mean we only just got together and…”   
  
Kotori groaned at the comment. “Mom, what did you ask her?”   
  
“I asked her if she was planning to move in with you.” Yume answered with an innocent shrug of her shoulders. “You just got out of the hospital and you need someone around, at least for a while.”   
  
“I-I still think it’s too soon.” Maki said warily.    
  
Yume gave a heavy sigh. “If that’s how you feel. I suppose I could always stay with you for a short while. At least until we’re sure it’s safe.”   
  
Kotori grimaced at the thought of having her mom fuss over her for the next few weeks. She knew there wasn’t anything that could change her mom’s mind though. “I guess. Just for a few days. I’ll set up the bed in the spare room.”   
  
“I’ll do it.” Maki said quickly, not wanting Kotori to injure herself further.    
  
“Don’t worry, I’ll stay out of your way when Nishikino-sensei is staying over.” Yume advised teasingly before she turned and walked back into the kitchen.    
  
“MOM!”   
  
“I know you, Kotori. If you’re anything like me you’re insatiable.”   
  
“Gross, mom!” Kotori scowled, cringing slightly.    
  
Maki cracked a smile. “You kind of are though…”   
  
“Maki-chan, that’s not the point!” Kotori hissed, blushing. “Besides, you can be just as bad as me.”   
  
“Only when you’re involved.” Maki sat down next to Kotori on the couch and slid closer to her. “I can stay over tonight if you want me to.”   
  
“I would like that.” Kotori leaned in to kiss Maki only to notice movement out of the corner of her eye. She glanced to the kitchen doorway in time to see her mother appear.    
  
“Oh, sorry.” Yume smiled knowingly. “Lunch is ready. I’ve taken your pills out for you too, Kotori.”   
  
“Thanks.” Kotori grumbled. She accepted Maki’s help to get to her feet and flashed her girlfriend a small smile as she helped her lean against her shoulder so she could hobble to the kitchen.    
  
\----   
  
Honoka cautiously let herself into the apartment she shared with Umi, wondering if her girlfriend would even be there. She had wound up falling asleep with Eli for another couple of hours before she had finally left.    
  
“Honoka?”   
  
“It’s just me.” Honoka called back, dropping her keys on the small table near the door. She slid off her shoes and walked into the apartment, following the sound of Umi’s voice to her girlfriend’s study. The door was ajar so she let herself in. She found Umi sitting at her desk, her laptop open in front of her. “Hey. Working from home today?”   
  
Umi nodded silently. They were both quiet for a moment before they spoke in unison. “I need to tell you something.”   
  
“Let me go first.” Umi said hopefully. “Please. I don’t know what you’re going to say and I don’t want you to accidentally talk me out of what I’m going to say.”   
  
“I feel like I should be the one saying that.” Honoka mumbled under her breath. Nevertheless she nodded for Umi to go ahead.    
  
Umi stood from her seat and walked around the table to stand in front of Honoka. “Um...I know you haven’t been very happy lately. With me. I know I’ve been difficult to be in a relationship with and I’m sorry.”   
  
Honoka frowned at the comment. She almost interjected but seeing that Umi was going to continue speaking she stayed silent.    
  
“I don’t think…” Umi took a deep breath. She hoped this wasn’t going to hurt Honoka as much as she had imagined it would. “I don’t think this is working between us, Honoka. I think we want different things from a relationship a-and I think we should break up.”   
  
Honoka’s eyes widened in surprise. “Huh?”   
  
“I still want to be your friend!” Umi said quickly, not wanting Honoka to leave before she said that. “I do love you. And I still want us to be close, just...not romantically.”   
  
“Oh.” Honoka was silent for a moment before she gave a slight laugh. Noticing Umi’s gaze snap toward her she shook her head. “I’m sorry, I just...I was going to say the same thing.”   
  
“You were?” Umi asked in shock. “So you’re okay with it? With us just being friends?”   
  
Honoka nodded in response only to pause after a moment. “Umi-chan, I-I have to tell you something else.” She bit her lip, hesitantly but when Umi reached out and squeezed her hand she finally spoke. “I want to be honest with you. I’m...I’m in love with Eli-senpai. I want to be with her and I...I slept with her. Twice. Recently, after Kotori was attacked…”   
  
Umi frowned slightly at that. “I can’t say that doesn’t hurt but at least you’re being honest. Actually, I’ve um...been kissed.”   
  
“Huh?!”   
  
Umi blushed. “We were drunk. She mostly...but I liked it.”   
  
Honoka was surprised but she pushed past it to flash Umi a small smile. “It’s Maki’s ex, right?   
  
“Shhh!” Umi exclaimed quickly despite there being nobody around. “Yes and she doesn’t remember. But I think I like her. I don’t know…”   
  
“Don’t worry, Umi-chan.” Honoka squeezed Umi’s hand back. “I’ll help you win her over.”   
  
“Honoka…”   
  
“So unlike with me, do you want to, you know...do it with her?”   
  
Umi blushed, mental images creeping into her mind. “HONOKA!”   
  
Honoka smirked at the reaction. “Fine, I’ll stop. But if you need any tips…”   
  
“HONOKA!”   
  
Honoka chuckled softly to herself, amused by Umi’s response. After a moment she turned serious once more. “Um...I want to date Eli-senpai again. Officially. And I wanted to ask you something…” She waited for a nod from Umi to tell her to go ahead before she spoke up. “Why did you kiss me even when I was with her?”   
  
Umi sighed softly. “Because I was clinging to my crush on you from when I was younger. And...I saw you as the prince to rescue me from my father, I guess…”   
  
Honoka dropped Umi’s hand, sucking in a sharp breath as she stepped back. “I’m such an idiot. I can’t believe I broke up with her.”   
  
“Honoka…”   
  
“Leave me alone for a bit, okay?” Honoka drew away as Umi reached for her. She blinked away tears that prickled at her eyes. She had been so stupid. “I-I need to see Eli-senpai.”   
  
Umi swallowed hard. “Okay. Honoka, I really am sorry. I didn’t meant to use you or…”   
  
“But you did. I let you. It’s…” Honoka lifted her hand to her mouth, tears slipping from her eyes. “I have to go. I’m sorry.”   
  
Umi opened her mouth to protest but Honoka had already turned and left. Sighing loudly she leaned back against her desk. She deserved Honoka’s anger but she hated seeing her best friend upset, especially when she was the reason for her being upset.    
  
\----   
  
Eli was sitting at her computer reading up on her new case when she heard a disturbance outside of her office. Frowning, she tried to ignore it but it seemed that it was getting closer and closer as the seconds passed by. She got up from her desk and crossed to the door, opening it in time to see Honoka trying to push past Kyo, one of the other attorneys in the office.    
  
“You can let her pass, Kyo.” Eli advised him, earning herself a confused look from the young man. Nevertheless he let Honoka pass him. “Honoka…”   
  
Honoka rushed toward Eli, falling into her arms.    
  
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” She said tearfully, holding onto Eli as tightly as she could. “I’m such an idiot. I should have never broken up with you. It was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. I love you so much. If I could undo it, I would. I’m sorry.”   
  
Eli pushed the door closed behind Honoka, figuring the rest of her office shouldn’t hear the conversation. “It’s okay.” She soothed gently, hugging Honoka back even as tears pricked at her own eyes. She had hoped to hear those words from Honoka for a long time. She hadn’t thought she would actually ever get to hear them.    
  
Honoka sniffled softly and slowly eased away from Eli after a moment. “I-I told Umi-chan that I want to be with you. She broke up with me first, she...she said it wasn’t working between us. But I was about to break up with her and I told her that! I…”   
  
“Slow down, Honoka.” Eli gently guided Honoka over to one of the chairs in front of her desk, helping her sit down on one of them. “You broke up with Umi?”   
  
Honoka nodded in response. “I asked her why she kissed me b-back then and she said she was acting on a crush.”   
  
Eli let out an annoyed sigh at that. She had lost the past couple of years with Honoka just because Umi was acting on a crush. She left Honoka for a moment, crossing the room to lock the door before she returned to her side once more.    
  
“Umi is an idiot.” Eli said honestly, sitting on the desk in front of Honoka. “And...you did what you thought was right by leaving me. You didn’t want to hurt her.”   
  
“I shouldn’t have wanted to hurt you!” Honoka exclaimed bitterly, looking up at Eli. “But I did. And now I don’t know if…” She trailed off, choking on her words. “Do you really love me? This...isn’t a fling to you, right?”   
  
Eli pulled Honoka toward her, kissing her soundly. She felt Honoka stand up and move closer to her instinctively and smiled softly against Honoka’s lips. It had always been like that for them. Gravitating toward each other without thought.    
  
“I told you at the hospital.” Eli whispered, pulling away by a fraction. “This was always serious to me. I love you, I alway-”   
  
Honoka cut Eli off by kissing her hard. She pushed against the blonde’s shoulders and gently eased her down onto the desk as she climbed up onto it to straddle the surprised blonde.    
  
“I won’t leave you again.” Honoka murmured, briefly meeting Eli’s eyes.    
  
Eli barely had time to nod before Honoka was kissing her again. She closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around Honoka’s torso to pull her close as she felt nimble fingers tug her hair out of the bun she’d put her hair up into.    
  
She was going to have to speak with Umi, she decided, but before she did that she was going to relish in having Honoka back.    
  
\----   
  
“What are you doing?” Nico asked curiously as she glanced over at Hisa who was flicking idly through her cell phone. The redhead was at the other end of the couch so Nico couldn’t lean over to see what she was doing.    
  
“Figuring out where to order food from.” Hisa said with a smirk as she glanced over at Nico. “You’re meant to be figuring out the movie we’re going to watch, remember? You deal with the movie, I deal with the food.”   
  
Nico narrowed her eyes. “I can just cook something. You don’t have to order anything.”   
  
“Ordering is faster.” Hisa retorted with a roll of her eyes. She moved her phone out of the way when Nico reached over, trying to take it from her. She couldn’t help but laugh at the disgruntled look on Nico’s face. “You’re too slow.”   
  
Nico huffed and clambered over to Hisa who held the phone out of reach from her.    
  
Hisa growled and pushed lightly against Nico’s shoulders, easily reversing their positions so that she was hovering over Nico instead.    
  
Nico noticed Hisa’s loose shirt dipping down and her eyes widened slightly in surprise when she realized that Hisa had a fair sized bust. She looked up to see Hisa staring down at her, her red hair messy and covering one eye. Her lips parted slightly.    
  
Nico’s heartbeat sped up and she swallowed thickly. She had noticed before that Hisa was attractive but she hadn’t realized just how attractive she was. She reached up, grasping the front of Hisa’s shirt and was about to pull her down when the door across the room sprung open.    
  
“Onee-chaaaaan!”   
  
Hisa let out a girlish yelp and jumped back, her face turning bright red. “Itsuki!”   
  
Nico cursed as she pushed herself up only for her eyes to widen slightly. Had she been about to kiss Hisa? Had she actually wanted to?   
  
“I-I have to use the bathroom.”    
  
“That’s fine.” Hisa said, glancing at Nico before she turned back to Itsuki. She awkwardly cleared her throat, hoping that Itsuki hadn’t noticed the position she had been in with Nico “W-What’s up, Itsuki?”   
  
“I did something you would do.” Itsuki said in a panic, running her fingers through her hair as she paced.    
  
“Huh? Wait, why do you make that sound like a bad thing?”   
  
Itsuki paused to fix Hisa with a look. “Onee-chan.”   
  
“Fine, I get the point. What did you do?” Hisa sighed, her gaze shifting to the hallway Nico had walked down.    
  
“I acted as if I didn’t remember something but I do remember and I want to do it again and I-”   
  
“Whow, whoa. Slow down.” Hisa interjected quickly, sensing Itsuki was about to start ranting. “What did you do?”   
  
Itsuki took a deep breath to calm herself down. “I kissed Umi-san!”   
  
“Who?”   
  
“Hanayo-chan’s friend. The one we met at the hospital, with blue hair? I’m friends with her now.” Itsuki frowned when Hisa still looked confused. “I told you this already. Weren’t you listening?”   
  
“Uh...I don’t remember.” Hisa said sheepishly. “So you kissed her then pretended you didn’t remember it? Are you worried about how she might react.”   
  
“K-Kind of. She has a girlfriend.”   
  
Hisa groaned in exasperation. “Itsuki! Why would you do something I would do? Ugh, why couldn’t you do something Raven would do? He’s such a little…”   
  
“Onee-chan!”   
  
“A good role model.” Hisa smiled innocently. Both she and Itsuki knew she wouldn’t say anything about their brother but it did bother her that he seemed so perfect in comparison to her. “That’s all I was going to say.”   
  
“I was drunk.” Itsuki frowned, crossing her arms in front of her chest.    
  
“Why did you DRINK?! I thought Raven told you not to!”   
  
“I’m twenty five, damn it! It’s not like I get carded, Onee-chan!” Itsuki huffed out a sigh. “I just wanted to tell someone and I knew Onii-san would be worried about me.”   
  
“Okay, okay. I get it. So do you like her?” Hisa asked, raising an eyebrow at Itsuki.    
  
“W-Well I haven’t known her for long but I think so. I guess I’m...attracted to her.” Itsuki said, shifting nervously from foot to foot. “And she’s really easy to talk to.”   
  
“If she didn’t have a girlfriend I would tell you to go for it.” Hisa said with a slight smile. “But I don’t want you to get hurt again.”   
  
“I know.” Itsuki mumbled, looking down at the floor. “I can be friends with her at least.”   
  
“Just be careful.” Hisa advised before she heard the click of a lock. She looked toward the hallway a moment before Nico appeared, looking slightly flushed. “Oh, Nico. Um...this is my sister. Itsuki.”   
  
“Yeah, we’ve met.” Nico said, nodding toward Itsuki.    
  
“I didn’t know you had anyone over. You don’t usually…” Itsuki trailed off in realisation as she looked to Hisa. “Oh! Oh, I-I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’ll see you tomorrow, Onee-chan!”   
  
“Wait, it’s not…” Hisa began to protest only for Itsuki to hurry away to the front door. She heard it open and close as Itsuki left. She smiled sheepishly, turning back to Nico. “Sorry about that. So where were we?”   
  
“Um...movie and food.” Nico answered, trying not to think of the position they had actually been in. She moved over to the couch, sitting back down. A moment later Hisa sat down right next to her, their arms brushing. Nico bit her lip but didn’t move. She cleared her throat. “Um...ordering food is fine. You’ll just find out the hard way that my cooking is way better.”   
  
Hisa smiled broadly as she pulled out her phone to place the order. “I look forward to it. What kind of food are you in the mood for?”   
  
“I don’t know, surprise me.” Nico darily inched closer to Hisa until she could rest her head against the girl’s shoulder. She didn’t bother to feign looking at the phone, her arm going around Hisa’s waist instead.    
  
Hisa blushed furiously and shifted her arm to put it around Nico’s shoulders as she shakily placed the order.    
  
\----   
  
Nico’s gaze flitted to the kitchen for a brief moment as she tried to decide whether she should try to get up to make some coffee. She had woken up a short while ago but she had stayed where she was, fascinated by the subtle play of muscles under her fingers. She wasn’t sure how but near the end of the movie she’d been watching with Hisa she had fallen asleep and had wound up mostly on top of the girl.    
  
She was just dozing off again when her phone vibrated on the table. She flinched in response to the sound and quickly moved off of Hisa to pick her phone up. She sighed, noticing she had an incoming video call from Kei. She knew better than to ignore it so she answered after a moment.    
  
“Yeah?”   
  
“Nico, are y...oh, who is that?!” Kei’s eyes widened on the screen. “She would look gorgeous in a dress!”   
  
“Kei!” Nico hissed, noticing Hisa stir out of the corner of her eye.    
  
“All I’m saying is she would look great. Maybe you should bring her in someti-”   
  
“No. Definitely not.” Nico ran a hand through her hair, figuring it was messy.    
  
“You want to jump her bones, don’t you?”   
  
“ _ KEI!”  _ Nico exclaimed loudly. She glanced back at Hisa for a moment before she stood up from the couch and walked a short distance away to keep from waking the sleeping girl up. “Did you actually want something?”   
  
“Big TV drama role for you.” Kei replied, smoothly shifting into professional mode. “You can play an instrument, right? Violin, isn’t it?”   
  
“Yeah, why?”   
  
“Your audition is tomorrow. Knowing you you’ll get the role.” Kei answered brightly. “This is a big break for you, Nico. Remember I’m not just your model agent, I’m your legit agent.”   
  
“R-Right.” Nico stuttered, still shocked by the news that Kei had managed to find such a promising role for her. “You’ll email me the details?”   
  
“Of course. I’ll let you get back to what you were doing.”  Kei said with a teasing grin. She didn’t give Nico a chance to reply before she ended the call.    
  
Nico sighed, disgruntled by the conversation despite how happy she was about the audition.    
  
“You okay?”   
  
Nico turned to see Hisa staring at her from the couch, her messy red hair falling in waves around her shoulder. “Um…” She cleared her throat before she spoke again. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. Just work.”   
  
She walked over to Hisa, pausing in front of her. She bit her lip as Hisa looked up and reached out, running her fingers over soft red hair before she let her hand fall to Hisa’s cheek, gently caressing it. “You would look great in a dress, you know?”   
  
Hisa felt her face warm under Nico’s light touch. “Well...I’m not usually the type to wear dresses.”   
  
“You should.” Nico let her hand fall back to her side. “We should go shopping together.”   
  
“What? Now?”   
  
“Sure. I don’t have work today.” Nico replied with a nod of her head. “I need a break before my audition tomorrow anyway.”   
  
“You have an audition tomorrow?” Hisa stood up from the couch, stretching her arms above her head.    
  
“Yeah. Some big tv drama apparently.” Nico replied, taking a step back when she realized how close she was standing. “Do you um...mind if I use your shower?”   
  
“Sure. I’ll make coffee. Oh, you can borrow some clothes if you want.”    
  
“Thanks.” Nico smiled warmly at Hisa before she turned and left the room, feeling a bit flustered. She didn’t know what was wrong with her but she couldn’t help but notice how attractive Hisa was. She had noticed as soon as she met her of course but she hadn’t been interested then. She couldn’t help but wonder if the redhead really had piqued her interest now.    
  
\----   
  
“You shouldn’t have to stay off from work just for me.” Kotori fretted as she watched Maki set a glass of water for her. “It’s bad enough that I can’t work with...this.”    
  
She raised her wrist, showing the bandage around her wrist. According to the doctors it wasn’t broken but it was badly sprained. Still, it hurt enough that she couldn’t work on anything.    
  
“I don’t mind.” Maki said hastily as she moved to sit down on the couch. “It’s not every day I’m allowed time off work to spend with my girlfriend. I want to be here, trust me.”   
  
Kotori took a deep breath to calm herself and closed her eyes. She knew she had to take Maki’s word that she wasn’t bothering her. “Right. Sorry.”   
  
“Stop apologizing. It’s fine.” Maki gently cupped Kotori’s face in her hands and kissed her gently. “I’m here for you. Just like you are for me.”   
  
Kotori opened her eyes, flashing Maki a watery smile. She was about to kiss Maki back when she heard a knock at the door. Instinctively she tensed, her eyes going wide.    
  
“It’s okay.” Maki soothed gently as Kotori grasped onto her arm. She recognized fear in her girlfriend’s eyes. “I’m here. I’ll go and check who it is, okay?”   
  
“No, I...I want to go with you.” Kotori stuttered nervously as Maki got to her feet. She shakily stood with her, still grasping onto Maki’s sleeve. She felt Maki take her hand and together they walked toward the front door.    
  
Maki checked through the peephole in the door, breathing a sigh of relief when she didn’t find Niima standing there. “It’s Toshiro.”   
  
“Toshiro?” Kotori echoed in confusion. She let go of Maki’s hand and stepped forward to unlock the door. She opened it to reveal her ex standing there, a worried look on his face.    
  
“Kotori!” Toshiro exclaimed when he saw her. He stepped forward, hugging her in relief. “I just heard what happened. Are you okay?”   
  
“I’m fine.” Kotori winced slightly as she hugged him back. She felt guilt niggle at her. She had completely forgotten to call him. “Just a little roughed up. Nothing too serious.”   
  
Toshiro pulled back slightly to look at her but settled his hand on her shoulder instead, concern etched across his face. “Why didn’t you call me? I would have come right away.”   
  
“Because you would have come right away?” Kotori offered with a small smile. She noticed Maki step forward to close the door out of the corner of her eye and felt a rush of gratitude. “We’re not together anymore.”   
  
Toshiro frowned slightly, his gaze straying toward Maki as she went to stand behind Kotori again. “You’re that Sensei, right? From the hospital?”   
  
Maki looked away, her hands in her pockets and she shrugged listlessly in response.    
  
“I thought you were okay?” Toshiro asked nervously as he looked back toward Kotori. “Why would you need a doctor here if you’re fine?”   
  
“Um, actually Toshiro-kun…” Kotori glanced at Maki for a moment before she continued. “Nishikino-sensei is my girlfriend.”   
  
“Your...oh. Right.” Toshiro paused, his brow furrowing. “But wait, I thought you liked Nico-san?”   
  
“Um...as a friend, yes.” Kotori glanced at Maki, noticing Maki was glaring at Toshiro. She gave her a light nudge to the side.    
  
“Nice to meet you.” Maki said with a thin lipped smile.    
  
“Uh...you too.” Toshiro replied, slightly intimidated by the redhead. He remembered not feeling comfortable around her when she was his doctor too.    
  
Kotori sighed loudly at the rather cold greeting. “Maki-chan, he’s not him. You don’t have to dislike all men.”   
  
Maki frowned before looking up indignantly, her nose in the air.    
  
Kotori rolled her eyes. “Don’t be a brat, Maki-chan.”   
  
Maki tensed at the accusation before her shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry.” She glanced at Toshiro. “I didn’t mean to be rude.”   
  
Kotori smiled warmly and grasped Maki’s hand. “Maki-chan is like a cat. She’s not good with people she doesn’t know well. Just let her warm up to you.”   
  
Maki’s face turned red. “Kotori!”   
  
“Yes?” Kotori smirked.    
  
Maki sighed and shook her head. “Nevermind. I’ll make some tea.”   
  
Toshiro blinked at the interaction. “Boy you have her whipped.” He muttered as he watched Maki leave for the kitchen.    
  
“Obviously.” Kotori replied smugly. “Who do you think is on top during it?”   
  
“Her.”   
  
“Hey!” Kotori lightly swatted Toshiro’s arm, earning herself a grin. “I am. Since I’m more experienced.” She winked at him before she turned and followed Maki into the kitchen.    
  
Toshiro trailed behind them, figuring he would stay for a few minutes. “Do you need me to do anything? I could check in on your studio if you want?”   
  
Kotori snorted in amusement. “Really? What would you be checking?”   
  
“Um…” Toshiro shrugged sheepishly. “Whatever you ask me to.”   
  
Kotori shook her head. “You don’t have to do that.”   
  
“I want to. We’re still friends, right? I’m just helping out.”    
  
\----   
  
“You’re not gonna let me out of here until I try it on, are you?”   
  
Nico smirked at Hisa’s question. She was currently standing outside of the changing room Hisa was in, having pushed her in there a few minutes earlier. “Nope.”   
  
She heard Hisa grumble something ineligible before the sound of rustling clothes caught her attention. There was a moment of silence before she heard a thud.    
  
“You okay?”   
  
Hisa let out an irritated growl of annoyance. “I can’t zip it!”   
  
Nico glanced around, hesitating for a moment before she turned and opened the door to the changing room. She slipped inside, her eyes widening. Hisa looked more vulnerable than she had ever seen her. Sexy even. She noticed, as Hisa turned to her, the sheen of lip gloss she’d placed on her lips. Red hair once more covered one of girl’s green eyes.    
  
“Are you gonna help or stand there gawking?”   
  
“S-Sorry. Turn around. Let me see the zipper.” Nico stuttered, blushing. She felt like a teenage boy just hitting puberty. Even Kotori hadn’t caused her to act like that. She bit her lip as Hisa turned her back to her. The girl had a nice back, she noticed as she inched closer to her.    
  
She took a deep breath, closing her eyes briefly in an attempt to control herself before she slowly reached forward. She pinched the zipper between her thumb and forefinger before she slowly tugged it up until the zip was closed completely. She let the zipper go and considered stepping away. She didn’t though. She couldn’t tear herself away from the redhead. She stepped forward instead, her arms sliding around Hisa’s waist. She felt rather than heard a sharp intake of breath from Hisa.    
  
“Nico?”   
  
Nico barely heard Hisa, her mind hazed over. She had thought she wouldn’t be attracted to Hisa but she was. Undeniably. She brushed her lips against Hisa’s shoulder only for Hisa to turn and gently push her away.    
  
“Nico.” Hisa held Nico by her shoulders, a frown flitting across her face. “What are you doing?”   
  
“I’m...um…” Nico blinked at Hisa, surprised by the look on her face. She felt her stomach sink as she realized her mistake. “Fuck, what is with me and sexually harassing people?! I’m no better than Nijima. Fuck. I’m such an idiot.”   
  
Hisa sucked in a sharp breath as Nico’s eyes filled with tears and the model slipped away from her, walking backwards until her back hit the wall. She slid down it so that she was crouching with her back against the wall.

  
“I’m sorry…”   
  
“No, I mean I liked it! It’s just...slow, remember? Just friends...with no benefits. Ugh, damn it. Come here.” She moved toward Nico and crouched down with some difficulty, tugging her forward into a gentle embrace. “I’m not scared of you. Trust me.”   
  
Nico sniffled softly, nodding against Hisa’s shoulder. “You look beautiful.” She whispered, her eyes closed as she leaned into Hisa’s embrace.    
  
“Thanks.” Hisa drew away from Nico and pressed a light kiss to her forehead.    
  
Nico shivered at the touch. “You’re not helping my resolve to not jump you.”   
  
Hisa smirked at the comment. “You’d be flipped the moment you tried.”   
  
Nico looked down, noticing the tattoo on Hisa’s wrist. She reached out, gently tracing the anchor with her fingertips. She was relieved at the fact that Hisa made no attempt to draw away from her.    
  
Hisa cleared her throat after a moment. “Maybe I should get out of this dress. It’s not exactly comfortable. Unzip me?”   
  
Nico smiled at the statement. Hisa had mentioned that she wasn’t exactly comfortable in dresses. She reached around, unzipping the dress with little difficulty. It was reassuring that Hisa was still comfortable enough with her to allow that. She was surprised though when Hisa pulled away from here and tugged the dress down with little hesitation. She stepped out of it and Nico’s eyes widened as she took in the skin on display. She had figured Hisa would be toned but seeing exactly how toned she was surpassed her imagination. She swallowed hard, her eyes slipping to Hisa’s thighs. “W-What are you doing?”   
  
“What?” Hisa grinned over at Nico. “Told you I wasn’t scared of you.”   
  
Nico felt her face heat up. “I need a cold shower…”   
  
“Oh? To screw yourself.”   
  
“Shut up.”   
  
Hisa raised an eyebrow as she tugged on her pants. “I never really met someone with an insatiable need. How do you like it?”   
  
“Rough.” Nico answered bluntly, staring at Hisa through darkened eyes. “I also like toys.”   
  
Hisa turned red at the comment. “Holy shit, you’re a freak between the sheets. Slow, remember?”   
  
“Yeah, yeah.” Nico grumbled, pouting at the reminder. She waited until Hisa finished dressing before she nodded toward the door. “Let’s go. We still have to shop.”   
  
“Just so long as you don’t make me try on more dresses.” Hisa grumbled, following Nico out of the changing room with the dress slung over her arm.    
  
Nico grinned at her. “No promises.”   
  
\-----   
  
Nozomi walked down the hallway to the interns’ lounge, trying without much look to keep her mind off of Eli. It had only been two days since Eli had left her and despite work being one of the reasons for the split, Nozomi had thrown herself completely into her work. She had barely stopped besides when she had paused to sleep. Which she had been doing in her office. She couldn’t go back to the apartment she had shared with Eli after what had happened, after all.    
  
She hoped that Maki would in in the lounge, if only to take her mind off of Eli again. Working helped, surprisingly, so when Maki had called requesting a consult on behalf of the doctor on the case, Nozomi had leapt at the chance.    
  
As she neared the open doorway to the room she was looking for she caught the sound of voices from inside of the room and her brow furrowed slightly as she slowed. She didn’t want to interrupted anything that might be going on in there. While she had authority over the attendings she wasn’t a doctor at that hospital and wanted to make sure that she didn’t overstep.    
  
“So you are, right?” A voice snickered. “Like Nishikino? You like girls, don’t you? You didn’t even give us a straight answer before.”   
  
“Seiko-san.” Another voice, which Nozomi recognized as belonging to Fumiko, one of the other interns at the hospital, replied wearily. “I don’t want to talk about it.”   
  
“Come on, you can tell me. It doesn’t matter. Everyone knows after what you said in the locker room. Do you really think you would have a chance though? I mean she’s way out of your league. Her status is higher than yours and she’s friends with Nishikino too.” Seiko said in a mockingly concerned tone of voice. “Besides she has a girlfriend or whatever, doesn’t she?”   
  
“I-I guess but...I don’t know her that well. I-It’s not like I think I have a chance or anything like that. It’s just...a crush. Nothing really.”   
  
“I KNEW you were like Nishikino! No wonder you keep trying to be friends with her. People like you have to stick together, right? Rezu…”   
  
Nozomi decided that she had heard enough and stepped into the room, loudly clearing her throat. “Seiko-san, don’t you have some work you need to be doing elsewhere rather than having inappropriately personal conversation at work?”   
  
Seiko’s eyes widened. “I-I was just…”   
  
“I know what you were doing.” Nozomi interrupted sharply. She kept her tone professional though. “And I don’t appreciate it for obvious reasons. If this happens again I’ll have to report you. Now get back to work.”   
  
Seiko’s face reddened as she glanced between Nozomi and Fumiko. She couldn’t argue though. Nozomi was her superior. “Yes, Sensei.” She muttered before she left the room as quickly as she could.    
  
Nozomi waited until Seiko had left before she allowed herself to relax. She smiled warmly at Fumiko. “Sorry to interrupt. I figured you might want to put a stop to...whatever that was about.”   
  
“Y-Yeah.” Fumiko said, slightly in awe. “Thank you for um...doing that.”

  
“Are you okay?” Nozomi asked in concern.    
  
Fumiko nodded quickly and glanced away. She noticed Nozomi inching closer to her and felt herself begin to blush.    
  
“You sure?” Nozomi teased lightly. “You don’t need a dose of Nozomi healing power?”   
  
“I-I’m fine. Really…”   
  
“Alright then.” Nozomi stopped a few steps away from Fumiko, her smile slipping just slightly. The girl seemed to be genuinely troubled by something. “Do you want to talk about what Seiko-san was talking about?”   
  
“NO. Definitely not!” Fumiko exclaimed, her eyes widening. She winced at the shocked look on Nozomi’s face. “Wait, um...how about coffee?! I mean...you have a girlfriend and I...I’m really confused about what I am.”   
  
“Sure.”   
  
“HUH?!”   
  
“Sure.” Nozomi repeated with an easygoing smile. “I would like that. Maybe you can tell me about this girl you like? I have a sneaking suspicion of who it might be but...you can tell me whenever you want.”   
  
Fumiko twitched at the comment. “Um...okay. Maybe.”   
  
“I get patients like you all of the time. It’s my job, really.” Nozomi explained, hoping to set Fumiko at ease. “But I want to be more like friends then colleagues.”   
  
“R-Right. Just...don’t treat me like I’m sick. I’m not sick.”   
  
“Of course not.” Nozomi said sincerely. “I never treat any of my patients like that. What do you say we meet up tomorrow for coffee? You can give me a call when you’re available but my schedule is fairly free for tomorrow...unfortunately.”   
  
“Huh?”   
  
“Nothing.” Nozomi pasted a smile to her lips, trying to block out the fact that she would have almost a whole day to think about how she had ruined things with Eli.    
  
Fumiko easily saw through the fake smile. “You okay?”   
  
“Fine. Just...I recently broke up with my girlfriend. Actually I caught her with a friend. Honoka. She’s um...one of my closest friends and…”   
  
“KOUSAKA HONOKA IS GAY?!”   
  
“Shhh!” Nozomi exclaimed, her eyes widened. “You don’t need to say it so loud. Nobody is meant to know and I don’t want to be responsible for outing her even if she did steal my girlfriend.”   
  
“Right, sorry.” Fumiko lowered her voice to just above a whisper. “Maybe...your girlfriend wasn't the right person for you.”   
  
Nozomi shrugged her shoulders. She disagreed about that. Noticed movement out of the corner of her eye she glanced toward the doorway as Maki walked into the room. “Maki-chan! You’re late for our consult. Are you ready?”   
  
“Sorry. I got stuck in surgery.” Maki apologized with a slight wince. “I’m ready. I’ll introduce you to the patient and run though the history with you, okay?”   
  
“That’s fine. But you got out of surgery an hour ago. You were texting Kotori, weren’t you?” Nozomi narrowed her eyes suspiciously.    
  
Maki flushed red with embarrassment. “Let’s just go. Oh...hi Fumiko.” She waved briefly at the intern before she turned and left the room.    
  
“Work calls.” Nozomi smiled apologetically at Fumiko. “I’ll leave my number with Maki-chan and you can call me tomorrow. See you later, Fumiko-chan.”   
  
“R-Right.” Fumiko stuttered, barely able to comprehend what was happening. She watched Nozomi go in stunned silence. She was going on a coffee date with Nozomi, albeit Nozomi didn’t know it was a date. That was besides the point. She was actually going out with Tojo Nozomi.    
  
\-----   
  
Umi bit her lip, staring at the open word document in exasperation. The page was completely blank and she had no idea where to start. No matter how hard she tried she couldn’t even put together a plan of what she wanted to write about for her latest article. She supposed it was a good thing she was working freelance at the moment otherwise she’d be in trouble.    
  
She was almost relieved when she heard a knock at her front door. At least it was a distraction from what she had been doing. She rolled her chair back and stood up with a resigned sigh, making her way out of the room and down the hallway. She couldn’t help but wonder who could be there though. Honoka had said she wanted to keep her distance for a while though Umi hoped that it would be her. She really didn’t want to lose Honoka as a friend.    
  
She opened the door, her blood running cold when she saw Eli standing there. “Eli…”   
  
“I want to talk to you about Honoka.” Eli said bluntly, seeing no reason in skirting around the subject. “Can I come in?”   
  
“Actually I’m kind of busy right…”   
  
“Great, thanks.” Eli stepped inside, nudging Umi out of the way. She closed the door behind her. “What the hell did you say to Honoka?”   
  
Umi sighed heavily. “Look Eli, I don’t...think I need to talk about this with you. What happened is between me and Honoka. It’s none of your business.”   
  
“It IS my damn business! Honoka is MY BUSINESS!” Eli exclaimed loudly, her eyes blazing with anger. “She thinks you never loved her. Did you say that to her?”   
  
Umi frowned slightly at that. “I told her I don’t anymore. That I...might have just had a crush on her that I didn’t understand back then.”   
  
“You dated her for two fucking years and you only just realized that?!” Eli growled angrily. “She was in love with you! She threw away everything we had together for  _ you _ !”   
  
Umi guiltily looked away. “I-I know, I just...I didn’t know how I felt. All I knew was that it didn’t feel like a real relationship. I didn’t look at her and want to kiss her or want...anything physical with her. I do love her but I know now it’s platonic.”   
  
“ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!” Eli yelled, red hot anger flooding through her. “I HAD TO LIVE IN MISERY BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T UNDERSTAND YOUR GAY FEELINGS?! I could have been happy. She could have been happy but we wasted two years because of you and now she’s questioning whether ANYONE will love her. But you didn’t think about how this would affect her, did you?”   
  
Umi’s eyes widened slightly. “I-I didn’t know. I thought she was okay, she even...she even said she’d help me with a girl I like. I didn’t realize…”   
  
“A GIRL you like?! Are you...are you serious right now?!” Eli took a step back and turned away, trying to calm herself. “You’re terrible at relationships. How can you be so bad at this?”   
  
“I ONLY CAME OUT TWO YEARS AGO, ELI!” Umi yelled back, her eyes brimming with panicked tears. “I didn’t know what I was doing!”   
  
“So you decided to break up a relationship?!” Eli swung around to face Umi again, her hands balling into fists. “Do you know how much time you took away from us?! We could’ve been HAPPY! Now we’re just stuck trying to rebuild what you took away from us!”   
  
“I-I’m sorry…” Umi muttered, shaking her head. She didn’t know what else to say. “I-I needed someone and Honoka was just there and I thought…”   
  
“That’s the problem! You didn’t think, did you?!” Eli paused for a moment, closing her eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry if I...upset you. But you needed to know the truth. Just so you know, she did love you, Umi. She just loves me more.”   
  
With that said she turned back toward the door and opened it to let herself out. When the door closed behind her, her shoulders slumped and she gritted her teeth in annoyance. She headed toward her car, walking a little faster than usual. Honoka would be waiting for her at her apartment, she was sure. She had given the girl a spare key which was gratefully accepted. Eli was relieved about that at least. She had worried Honoka would think she was moving too fast. She didn’t see any reason they shouldn’t do things they had been comfortable with before, even if they couldn’t just pick up where they left off.    
  
The thought sent another rush of anger through her and she slammed the car door behind her.    
  
  
TBC.    



	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: I won't be changing the tags on this as someone suggested in the last chapter because while the ships are different now they were ORIGINALLY Honoka/Umi and Eli/Nozomi. The content is there, at the start. The ships just change which is why I've added the tags for said ships and put a warning note in the description.

Rin glanced at her watch as she jogged down the street. She wasn’t sure if Kotori was working after what had happened but she wanted to get to Kotori’s apartment before the girl left. Kotori didn’t know she was coming and Rin wanted to surprise her. Besides that, she would be grateful for the company after having spent close to fourteen hours on a plane.    
  
She rounded the corner, picking up her pace as she did so only to run into someone who was also turning the corner. Rin gasped in surprise as she was knocked off of her feet. She winced as she hit the ground, using her hands to break her fall.    
  
“Crap.” She muttered, glancing up at the person who’d knocked her over. Her brow furrowed when she noticed the large canvas the girl was carrying as well as her bright blue hair, covered with a beanie. Her blue eyes were even brighter than her hair and Rin found herself staring when she saw piercings in the girl’s ears.    
  
“You okay, Flash?” The girl asked with an amused smile. She offered her free hand to Rin who hesitantly took it, letting herself be pulled to her feet.    
  
“Y-You read comics too? You know the Flash?!”   
  
“Sure. Barry Allen is my favourite.” The girl blushed as soon as the words left her mouth. “Um...I gotta go. Nice meeting you, hot shot!”   
  
“Wait, um…” Rin frowned as the girl moved past her, lifting her hand in a wave. She watched the girl disappear around the corner and blinked at the place the girl had stood a moment ago. Shaking her head she turned away and continued walking though she couldn’t get the girl out of her mind as she walked the rest of the way to Kotori’s house.    
  
Once outside she knocked on the door and waited a moment until it opened it. She broke into a smile at the sight of the redhead and leapt forward, tackling her in a tight embrace. “MAKI-CHAN!”   
  
“R-Rin!” Maki exclaimed in surprise, having barely managed to steady herself.    
  
“Where’s Kotori-chan?” Rin broke away from Maki and headed to where she could hear Kotori’s voice coming from.    
  
"Ah so you bumped into someone....again."    
  
"Yeah I did and made a fool of myself, I can't believe I told her I liked the Flash....UGH.” Rin frowned as she heard the sound of a vaguely familiar voice. The topic caught her attention too.    
  
Kotori chuckled."Most artists like comics right?"   
  
"I mean sure, but I'm suppose to be COOL!"   
  
"Well you certainly act cool, Biki-chan."   
  
"Damn it don't call me that!! I mean ....sorry senpai..."   
  
Rin walked into the spare room without knocking and headed to Kotori, leaning down to look at the laptop. “Who are you talking t... _ you _ !”   
  
“WHAT IS SHE DOING THERE?!” The girl Kotori was speaking to on skype exclaimed, her eyes widening.    
  
“Rin-chan!” Kotori exclaimed in surprise at the sight of Rin. “W-What are you doing here?”   
  
“Um...surprise, nya!”    
  
“Cute…” the blue haired girl mumbled to herself.    
  
“Oh, Biki-chan! This is Rin-chan. Rin-chan, Biki-chan.”   
  
“Hibiki.” Hibiki corrected with a roll of her eyes as she blushed to herself. “That’s just a nickname. And um...we’ve met.”   
  
Kotori smirked. “So Rin-chan is the person you ran into?”   
  
“Okay, I’m going. I’ll give you an update on the studio later.”    
  
Kotori opened her mouth to speak but before she could say anything Hibiki had ended the video call. She turned back to Rin, distracted from her assistant. “What are you actually doing here?”   
  
“I came to see you!” Rin answered brightly. Her smile dimmed slightly as she noticed the bruises on Kotori’s face. “Are you okay, nya?”   
  
“I’m okay.” Kotori stood up and gave Rin a hug. She was surprised when Rin hugged her back a lot gentler than she usually would. “I’m glad you came.”   
  
“Skyping wasn’t enough. I needed to see you.” Rin drew away slightly, smiling once more. “Plus it’s spring break so I thought why not? It’ll be nice to see everyone again.” She noticed movement at the doorway and beamed at the sight of Maki. “I am so happy you two are together. Kotori-chan, you make Maki-chan soooo happy. And Maki-chan, you’re so gentle with Kotori-chan and you actually listen to her! Oh, where’s Nico-chan? I want to hug her too.”   
  
Kotori tilted her head. “She’s at an audition.”   
  
“I’ll catch up with her later. I have to visit the others too.” Rin said brightly, perking up. “Is it okay if I come by later? Tonight maybe?”   
  
“Yeah, sure…” Kotori trailed off as Rin hugged her once more before leaving the room. She wasn’t sure where Rin got so much energy.    
  
Maki raised an eyebrow as she watched Kotori. “You have that look in your eye.”   
  
“Biki-chan is a good kid. And I’ve never seen her so distracted before.” Kotori said thoughtfully.    
  
“So?”   
  
“She reminds me of you when you’re around me?”   
  
Maki tilted her head. “And?”   
  
“I’m gonna invite her to one of our get togethers!”   
  
Maki sighed. Kotori was such a romantic. But that was just one of the things she loved about her. “You really think Rin would be interested? I mean this is Rin…”   
  
“She certainly couldn’t stop staring when Biki-chan embarrassed herself.” Kotori said with an innocent smile.    
  
Maki grinned and stepped forward, gently picking Kotori up bridal style. She felt Kotori automatically wrap her arms around her neck. “I think we should relax for a bit, hm?”   
  
“Maki-chaaaaan!” Kotori laughed gleefully into Maki’s shoulder as Maki turned and walked quickly toward the door. Despite her aches and pains she was sure she had never been happier.    
  
“I love you.” Maki whispered, lightly nuzzling Kotori’s ear.    
  
Kotori smiled at the comment. “I love you too, Maki-chan.” She answered smoothly, her grip on Maki tightening. Her heart skipped a beat at Maki’s answering smile. It was gentle. Genuine, sweet and innocent. “You should smile more often.”   
  
“I will when I’m beside you. I never want to stop. You complete me, Kotori.”   
  
Kotori held Maki close to her, resting her forehead against Maki’s shoulder. “You won’t leave me?”   
  
Maki paused halfway to the living room, her brow furrowing. “I’d never let that happen. I would sacrifice even my name to be with you.”   
  


Kotori felt tears prickle at her eyes. “I love you. When Toshiro…”  
  
“I won’t ever leave you.” Maki said as Kotori choked on her words. “I’m madly in love with you. I’ll be here through thick and thin. I won’t run away. That’s not who I am.”  
  
“Well Nico-chan will make sure of that.” Kotori said, sniffling slightly.   
  
“Oi, I don’t need her to babysit. Don’t ruin the moment.” Maki walked toward the living room and set Kotori down on the couch before she knelt in front of her and took her hand. “Every day or night you’ll see me beside you in bed. And I’ll always be texting you from the hospital. If you need me I’ll drop everything. You’re so much more important to me than even my job.”  
  
Kotori nodded, teary eyed once more and leaned in, hugging Maki tightly. “I wish I’d told you how I felt years ago.”  
  
“Me too.” Maki whispered, burying her face in Kotori’s neck. “Me too.”  
  
\-----  
  
“I can’t believe you two are going to be working together.” Kotori beamed as she returned from the kitchen. She squeezed onto the couch between Maki and Nico, the former of whom wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She looked to Honoka who was sitting on one of the chairs opposite. Hibiki was sitting on the other, Rin sitting near her feet on the floor. “That should be fun, right?”  
  
Honoka nodded rapidly in response. “Nico’s gonna be gay for my character. Just subtext, you know.”  
  
Eli glared at Nico from where she was standing next to Honoka. “Better not try to steal my girl, Nico.”  
  
Hisa, who was perched next to Nico on the edge of the small couch, raised an eyebrow. “Whoa, this one is the cheat. She better not steal mine.”  
  
Nico felt herself flush with embarrassment. “ _Hisa_!”  
  
“What? I’m just saying.” Hisa grinned back, giving Nico a gentle nudge.   
  
“I’m not going to steal anyone’s girlfriend. I don’t want anyone else.” Honoka said seriously, making eye contact with Eli who bashfully ducked her head. She reached for Eli’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.  
  
Kotori watched them with a slight smile. She was glad that they were happy together. They deserved it. At the thought, her eyes shifted toward Nico who seemed to be trying to subtly watch Hisa. She moved away from Maki and gentle nudged Nico in the side with her elbow, lowering her voice slightly.   
  
“So do you like her?”  
  
“Kotori.” Nico muttered, feeling her face warm up. She bit her lip but she couldn’t help but smile, especially when she noticed Hisa glance at her, a peculiar look on her face. “Yeah, I um...guess I do. She’s not like everyone else I’ve dated. Or...been ‘friends’ with.”  
  
Kotori winced at the comment. “Yeah. I’m sorry, Nico-chan.”  
  
“Oh no, I didn’t mean...don’t worry. I should be the one apologizing. I haven’t come to see you since...I visited you at the hospital.” Nico frowned at the thought. “Some friend I am, huh?”  
  
“You’re an amazing friend.” Kotori disagreed, reaching out to lightly touch Nico’s hand. “Trust me. I’m not angry with you.”  
  
Nico managed a small smile at that and turned her hand over, squeezing Kotori’s. “I’ll be better.”  
  
Kotori shook her head in amusement. She was about to disagree with Nico when Hibiki let out an annoyed sigh across the room.   
  
“Seriously, what is it?!”  
  
Kotori glanced over in time to see Rin watching Hibiki with a small smile.   
  
“Nothing.” Rin answered honestly. “I was just staring at your blue eyes, that’s all.”  
  
“Huh?!” Hibiki blushed furiously and nearly fell out of her seat. “W-What?!”  
  
“Relax, Biki-chan.” Kotori teased quietly. “You know all the girls have a thing for your eyes. I said that when we first met, remember?”  
  
Maki frowned slightly and Hibiki glared daggers at Kotori.   
  
“Th-That’s besides the point!” Hibiki spluttered indignantly, her eyes wide. “Don’t go telling people my eyes are my best feature!”  
  
“Your hair is pretty cool too.” Rin observed with a warm smile. “IT’S SO BLUE.”  
  
Hibiki groaned, burying her head in her hands.   
  
Kotori chuckled softly and shifted back to Maki, leaning into her side. She rested her head lightly on her girlfriend’s shoulder and looked up at her, noticing an amused look on Maki’s face.    
  
Rin climbed up onto the couch next to Hibiki, practically sitting in her lap and Hibiki quickly averted her eyes. She didn’t want to think about how brightly she was blushing.  
  
Eli squeezed onto the couch next to Honoka, noticing her smile dim slightly. “You okay?” She asked in concern, sliding her arm around Honoka.   
  
“Just thinking about when we were like them.” Honoka mused, her gaze lingering on the couples around the room. “When everything was new. And thinking about everything we’ve missed out on. We should’ve been together for three years already.”  
  
“Anything else?” Eli asked softly, grasping Honoka’s hand.   
  
“I’m really excited for my role. But I want you to be there to watch me. But you can’t because you’re a lawyer and you’re busy and...are you sure this is what you want? Me? You’re sure you love _me_?”  
  
“I love you, Honoka.” Eli said patiently. “More than anyone. The answer’s going to be the same no matter how many times you ask.”  
  
“Right, sorry. Just…” Honoka briefly bit her lip, her eyes lingering on Kotori and Maki. “Do you think we’ll be like them someday? I mean I know they’re new at this but they seem...committed. Like nothing can break them up.”  
  
“I’ve always been committed. I am now too.” Eli reassured Honoka gently, rubbing her back. She knew that Umi telling Honoka the truth had really knocked the girl’s confidence.   
  
Maki drew Kotori closer to her being as gentle as she could and gave a slight smile when Kotori automatically leaned back against her. She wrapped her arms around Kotori, gently nuzzling her neck.   
  
Nico glanced at Hisa who was watching Eli and Honoka with a thoughtful look on her face. She couldn’t help but feel lonely, surrounded by two couples who were clearly happy with each other. She didn’t even know if Hisa liked her. She sighed heavily. “I need another drink.”  
  
\----  
  
  
“Just hang onto me for a second.” Hisa instructed, gripping the wrist of Nico’s free hand. She dragged it up, encouraging Nico to wrap her other arm around her neck too. “I’m getting your keys. Where are they?”  
  
“In my pocket.” Nico answered, resting her forehead on Hisa’s shoulder. “Jacket.”  
  
Hisa carefully slid her hands into Nico’s jacket pockets, finding them in the left pocket. She emerged with them and slid the key into the door, unlocking it. She sighed as she helped Nico into the apartment, lightly kicking the door shut behind her. “What made you drink so much?”  
  
“You.”  
  
Hisa’s eyes widened in surprise. “What? Why?”  
  
“I don’t get you.” Nico muttered as Hisa helped her to the living room. She frowned as she was set down on the couch. “I don’t understand what you want.”  
  
Hisa sank down on the couch with Nico, the model’s arms still around her shoulders. She leaned in, gently pressing their foreheads together. “I don’t want to hurt you, Nico. I don’t want to use you, I want to fall for you before...I don’t want this to be a fling.”  
  
Nico’s lower lip trembled. “You’re not going to fall for me. I’m the worst with relationships, with friendships. And people.”  
  
“I know that’s not true. Your friends obviously love you.” Hisa reached up, gently stroking Nico’s hair. “I...I am attracted to you. But I don’t want that to be all this is.”  
  
“That’s all it ever is.” Nico said, her voice slightly bitter. She didn’t want to feel angry with Kotori but it still stung that Kotori had found it so easy to choose Maki over her. That she had never stood a chance at all. “I just want someone to touch me. I’m lonely.”  
  
“I...I can cuddle with you.” Hisa blushed as the words left her mouth. She had never imagined herself saying something like that. “Just...no sex. Nothing besides cuddling. I want whatever’s happening between us to work and...I don’t want to ruin it.”  
  
Nico sniffled softly at the response. “I didn’t mean…”  
  
“I know what you mean. But that’s all I can give you right now.” Hisa interrupted, gently stroking Nico’s cheek. “I’m sorry.”  
  
“No, I am. I shouldn’t be making you feel guilty to get you to...ugh, what the fuck is wrong with me?” Nico sighed, drawing away from Hisa.   
  
“There’s nothing wrong with you.” Hisa soothed gently, resting her hands on Nico’s shoulders to keep her from moving too far away. “You just want someone to love you. Maybe I’ll become that person. Some day.”  
  
Nico felt tears prickle once more at her eyes and looked away. “Maybe, maybe not.”   
  
“Nico.” Hisa wavered uncertainty. She felt at a loss and her heart ached at seeing Nico so upset. “I like you. I really do. Look, I’ve...never done this before. Been in a relationship. I don’t want to screw it up if that’s where we’re going. I want to take it slow but that doesn’t mean I don’t like you.”  
  
“Okay…” Nico mumbled, still not looking up. She sniffled softly and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. “Can you just hug me?”  
  
“Yeah. Yeah, of course.” Hisa drew Nico gently back to her, wrapping her in a tight embrace. She felt guilty that she couldn’t do anything else when Nico was clearly feeling so much hurt and self-doubt but she would do what she could. Even if it wasn’t much.   
  
\----  
  
“Hey.”  
  
Honoka looked up at the sound of somebody’s voice. She was surprised to hear anyone. She had slipped away from the rest of the cast and crew a while earlier in favor of heading to the cafeteria in the building. “Nico-chan?”  
  
“Some things don’t change.” Nico remarked, nodding toward the bread roll Honoka was nibbling on.   
  
“I eat when I’m nervous.” Honoka mumbled, giving a slight shrug of her shoulders.   
  
Nico smirked in response and went to sit next to Honoka on the bench seat at the table. “You’re worried about our scene together? You’re meant to be the professional here, I’m new at this acting thing.”  
  
Honoka frowned slightly. “Aren’t you nervous? I always get nervous before my scenes. I don’t want to mess up. Especially with you here, that’ll just be embarrassing…”  
  
Nico stared at Honoka for a moment before she looked down at the script she was holding onto. “So we’re childhood friends and we just got into a music university. Your character quit piano but took a liking to writing. Mine is in the orchestra program.”  
  
Honoka sighed softly at the fact that Nico had completely ignored her question. It was typical of her. “Yeah, that’s right. I guess I’ll just picture you as Kotori.”  
  
Nico blinked, surprised by the simple answer. “You’re gonna do better than me. And I don’t say that lightly. I saw your other movies and shows. You’re really damn good, Honoka.”  
  
Honoka’s lips turned up slightly. “Thanks. But you’re good at pretty much everything you try.”  
  
Nico laughed softly at the comment. It was something her teenage self would have been happy with. She was too, to some extent but she couldn’t help but think of her shortcomings too. “We’ll see. You’re still going to be better though.”  
  
Honoka shrugged her shoulders. “So there’s meant to be subtext between our characters, right? Who are you going to picture me as?”  
  
Nico raised an eyebrow. “What?”  
  
“Ah, too soon after…?” Honoka winced, thinking of Kotori.   
  
“No, it’s fine.” Nico thought for a moment, mulling over what she should say. She imagined if she wanted to convey it properly the person she should picture would be Hisa. “Nobody. I don’t know.”  
  
“Aww, come on Nico-chan.” Honoka pouted as Nico stubbornly crossed her arms. She sighed when Nico frowned. “I find it odd how I end up getting these romantic roles. I want to do something fun and with action.”  
  
Nico nodded in response. “Maybe you’re just good at this kind of movie or something. Besides you’re beautiful, obviously there’s a certain type of role people want you to play.”  
  
Honoka blushed at the compliment. “Uh...thanks, Nico-chan.”  
  
Nico rolled her eyes at Honoka’s bashfulness. She was sure Honoka got attention like that all of the time, not only unwanted attention but attention she actually craved. From Umi or Eli.   
  
Honoka looked down at her script. “Let’s practice. I want to get into this role! I did some research on the disease and everything!” She picked up her pen and picked up the glasses resting nearby putting them on to get in character.   
  
Nico blinked in surprise before Honoka spoke.   
  
“Second scene before meeting the boy. Your character spots mine struggling after coming back from practice.”  
  
Nico nodded before she skimmed through the pages of the script to the scene in question.   
  
Honoka placed her hands in the air as if she were resting her arms on a desk. She looked down, gritting her teeth as her arm holding the pen started to shake, weakened. “No, please not now...it’s getting worse.”  
  
Nico looked down at her script to see that her character walked into the room they shared, immediately noticing her friend/love crying, struggling to move her arm correctly. “Keiko-chan!” She exclaimed in the most dramatic way possible.   
  
She looked up to see Honoka start to blink away tears. “Tsu-chan...no, please. I’m fine…”  
  
Nico walked over, taking Honoka’s arm. “Keiko-chan, it’s oka-”  
  
“It’s not okay! None of this is! I’m getting weaker and weaker! Nothing will ever heal me! I can’t do anything anymore!”  
  
Nico’s eyes widened slightly, taken aback by Honoka’s acting. It was so raw. She hadn’t expected it to be that good.   
  
Honoka hung her head. “Eventually I won’t be able to breathe, Tsubasa.”  
  
“Stop it! We just started university! You survived high school, you can survive this!” Nico exclaimed, adding a hint of desperation to her voice.   
  
“What’s there to celebrate, Tsubasa?”  
  
“Life, Keiko-chan...please.”  
  
“C-Can you help me get up?” My legs aren’t listening…”  
  
Nico felt tears in her own eyes as she reached forward to ‘help’ Honoka up. She gasped slightly as Honoka stumbled before eventually standing straight.   
  
“One day, Keiko-chan. You’ll be able to play again.” Nico vowed quietly. “Even after that night.”  
  
Honoka looked away bitterly. “Tsu-chan, you’re so naive. Let’s just go out. I’m hungry.”  
  
She relaxed immediately after, sliding the glasses off and sat down. “Wow, Keiko is such a mess. I hope I can play off the chemistry she’s meant to have with the guy.”  
  
Nico gaped at Honoka. “Honoka, that was fucking amazing.” She sank down into the seat next to Honoka. “Seriously, I didn’t know you could act like that.”  
  
Honoka smiled in response. “It just takes practice.”   
  
“You’re too modest.” Nico shook her head, in awe. “Keiko seems like a depressing character but I think deep down she has a lot of strength.”  
  
Honoka nodded. “I kind of wish she looked at Tsubasa. Since she’s been there for her since childhood but I also understand she feels like a burden to her. Hikaru is supposed to show her the unthinkable. I can understand why she falls for him.”  
  
“You sure did that for Eli.” Nico murmured. “Maybe you should practice with her instead. You play Hikaru, she can play Keiko.”  
  
“Maybe.” Honoka said with a vague shrug of her shoulders. She paused for a moment before she flashed Nico a smile. “Thanks for this, Nico-chan. I feel a lot better.”  
  
“Good. You have nothing to worry about. Like I said.” Nico replied with a smug look.   
  
\----  
  
“Are you sure it’s okay for me to hang out here for a while?” Hisa asked, glancing around Eli’s spacious living room. It was a lot nicer than her own apartment, she had to admit. She supposed Eli was making quite a bit of money as a lawyer and all. The injury and sickness allowance she was receiving at the moment was less than she usually made when she was working but it paid for her apartment and almost everything else she needed.   
  
“Sure. Nico’s coming back here anyway so why not?” Eli asked as she headed into the kitchen. “You want anything to drink?”  
  
“No, I’m fine.” Hisa called out. She glanced around the room once more feeling a little awkward before she headed to the couch to sit down.   
  
“So.” Eli came back into the living room with a bottle of water in hand and sank down on the couch next to Hisa. “Nico got drunk. Usually she gets clingy. Did she do anything?”  
  
“Threw up and went to sleep.” Hisa answered, figuring Nico wouldn’t want Eli to know the truth.   
  
Eli raised an eyebrow. “What’s your relationship with her?”  
  
“Friends.” Hisa replied simply. “Good friends.”  
  
“Good friends like…?”  
  
“ _No!”_   
  
“Sorry, I’m just asking. Nico has been known to…” Eli trailed off, noticing Hisa glaring daggers at her. “Okay, okay. I’m just saying. Well...you’re protective of her, that’s obvious.”  
  
Hisa shrugged her shoulders. “She’s a good friend. And she’s been through some...tough things in the past couple of weeks. I’m just looking out for her, that’s all.”  
  
“Good.” Eli said, relaxing slightly. “Just as long as you’re not planning to hurt her.”  
  
“I wouldn’t.” Hisa said sincerely. Nico had been hurt too much already.   
  
“So no benefi-”  
  
“NONE!” Hisa exclaimed loudly. “Damn it, she needs an honest relationship, no more of that bullshit.”  
  
Eli smirked at the response. “So you’re saying that’s what you want with her? An honest relationship?”  
  
“What? I didn’t say that.” Hisa sighed, rolling her eyes.   
  
“You were thinking it though.” Eli pointed out knowingly.   
  
“I don’t know what I want from Nico, okay?” Hisa asked a little bit irritably, annoyed at how persistent Eli was being. “I want to be her friend. And I’m not going to risk that for a relationship that might not even work. I want to be sure before anything like that happens between us.”  
  
“But Nico wants it?” Eli asked curiously. She held her hands up at the annoyed look Hisa shot her. “She’s my friend. I’m looking out for her, just like you are.”  
  
Hisa let out a slow breath. “Maybe. I don’t want to do anything with her until I’m sure though. I want to do this right so she doesn’t get hurt again. I don’t have a great track record when it comes to relationships. I’ve never been in one actually so I don’t want to mess this up.”  
  
“Maybe you’re overthinking it.” Eli advised pointedly.   
  
Hisa frowned, looking down at her lap. “I want to make a move but I don’t want to hurt her.”  
  
“How do you know you’ll hurt her?” Eli asked pointedly. “Maybe you’ll hurt her by not making a move. I remember liking Honoka for months before either of us did anything. I was constantly wondering if she didn’t like me or if she wasn’t picking up on my hints because she just hadn’t even thought about the possibility of us being together. I wish I had said something sooner. If you like Nico, I say go for it. She’ll still be your friend even if she does say no. Which she won’t.”  
  
“Right.” Hisa nodded resolutely to herself. “I will...maybe I will.”  
  
“Maybe?” Eli asked skeptically.   
  
“Hey, that’s the best I can do right now!” Hisa retorted defensively. “I’m nervous, okay? I don’t want to screw this up with Nico.”  
  
“Just make sure she knows you mean it. Don’t try to be friends with benefits or anything. Be a choice for her. Be a real girlfriend.” Eli said knowingly, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “It’ll work out, trust me. Take her hand, pull her close and just go for it.”  
  
Hisa shook her head. “You’re too optimistic…”  
  
“I am fucking not.” Eli replied with a roll of her eyes. “I know more than anyone how screwed up relationships can get.”  
  
“Right, you um...and Honoka used to be together, right?” Hisa asked carefully. “What did you do? If...you don’t mind me asking.”  
  
“I didn’t...really do anything.” Eli said hesitantly. As far as she had known the two of them had been perfectly happy together. It had come as a shock when Honoka had broken up with her, seemingly out of the blue. “She just wanted someone else.”  
  
“That’s...too bad.” Hisa replied awkwardly, grimacing to herself. “She sounds like an idiot.”  
  
“Yeah. Sometimes…”  
  
Hisa cleared her throat. “But it worked out, right? I mean you got to be with your other girlfriend for a while, I guess.”  
  
Eli frowned at Hisa. “Yeah, about that…”  
  
“I’m guessing it was worse with her?”  
  
“A lawyer and a doctor...should be like the dream team of couples. Turns out it’s toxic as hell…”  
  
“Ouch…”   
  
Eli shrugged. “At least I knew how to take a break. Unlike her”  
  
“You still sound pretty annoyed with her.” Hisa observed thoughtfully as she watched Eli.   
  
Eli shrugged her shoulders. “A bit. I’m more angry with myself for not fighting harder to stay with Honoka.”  
  
“What about Honoka?” Hisa asked curiously. “Are you pissed with her?”  
  
“A little. How can I not be though?” Eli clenched her teeth for a moment. “I’m mostly...still hurt that she chose Umi over me so quickly. And a little angry. I’m working on it though.”  
  
“And you think she’s worth the risk?” Hisa continued quietly. “She might do it again, right? Whatever...she did?”  
  
“She won’t. But she is worth the risk.” Eli replied with a shrug of her shoulders. “As for what happened, she’s...too loyal to her friends. Umi was going through a rough time and she kissed Honoka. Confessed to her. So Honoka chose her over me.”  
  
“That’s rough.” Hisa said sympathetically.   
  
Eli opened her mouth to say something but she was cut off by the sound of the front door opening. She heard the familiar sound of Honoka giggling at something before the door shut and Honoka herself walked into the room, Nico right behind her.   
  
“Hey.” Eli said with a warm smile as Honoka approached her. “How was work?”  
  
“Good. Nico-chan is a natural.” Honoka said brightly as she walked over to Eli. She sank down into her lap without hesitation and curled her arms around the blonde’s shoulders, giving her a quick kiss.   
  
Hisa glanced at Nico, a longing look on her face. Nico was busy looking at Honoka and Eli too. She bit her lip. She was going to have to tell Nico what she felt for her eventually. She didn’t know how much longer she could keep it inside.   
  
“Let’s go make some tea.” Nico said, shaking herself out of her stupor. “I don’t want to be here when those two start making out.”  
  
Hisa smiled at that and got up, following Nico to the kitchen.   
  
“You know…” Honoka said quietly, drawing Eli closer to her. “Nico said you’re a lot like the character I’m playing. I actually pictured you when you were in high school...so I tried to play that ice queen attitude you had.”  
  
“Hey.” Eli protested even as she smirked in response. “I got over that pretty quickly after I met you.”  
  
Honoka scoffed slightly. “You didn’t even like me at first. You thought I was annoying.”  
  
“You were annoying.” Eli laughed as Honoka gently swatted her shoulder. “I’m kidding. You couldn’t have been so bad if I ended up falling for you, could you?”  
  
Honoka rolled her eyes before she leaned in, pressing her lips to Eli’s once more. “Can I stay over here again tonight? I mean...if that’s okay? I still don’t really have anywhere else to go.”  
  
“You don’t need anywhere else.” Eli replied, giving Honoka a gentle squeeze.   
  
“I know. I just don’t like the idea of staying here. It’s still Nozomi-chan’s…” Honoka winced, trailing off at the thought of Nozomi. She wondered if the doctor would ever forgive her. “I should get my own place.”  
  
“We could...get our own place?” Eli suggested, her cheeks flushing as the question passed her lips. She noticed the shocked look on Honoka’s face. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed...you probably want your OWN place, right?”  
  
“I-It’s not that, it’s just...a little fast.” Honoka said hesitantly. “I don’t want to screw this up by moving too quickly.”  
  
“You won’t. It’s exactly where we left off. Idiot.” Eli shook her head in disdain. “We don’t have to do this whole thing again, Honoka. We know each other. We know each other’s hopes, habits and faults. We don’t have to start again.”  
  
“It’s still a little new though.” Honoka said nervously. “You were with Nozomi-chan for a long time. And I was with Umi-chan. Things will be different to how it was with them.”  
  
“Of course it’ll be different. As in better.” Eli said as if that was obvious. “We’re good for each other, Honoka. We just work. If you don’t want to live with me, I’ll let it go but…”  
  
“No, I do!” Honoka said quickly, not wanting Eli to get the wrong idea. “I just...want it to last this time. I don’t want us to move in together just for me to annoy you and you to decide you don’t…”  
  
Eli silenced Honoka by pressing a finger to the babbling woman’s lips. “Stop. It won’t happen.”  
  
“Are you sure?” Honoka asked carefully. “You’ve spent a week living with me before. You know how messy I am.”  
  
“I loved living with you.” Eli corrected with a firm shake of her head. “But I only want to if you want to too.”  
  
“I-I do want to.” Honoka said, a small smile tugging at her lips. “I do. Definitely.”  
  
“Good. Then it’s settled.” Eli kissed Honoka once more before drawing back with a grin on her face. Maybe it was going to work for them this time afterall.   
  
“Alright, break it up.” Nico warned as she walked into the living room with a tray of tea. She settled it on the coffee table. “We don’t need to watch you two making out.”  
  
“This is my apartment.” Eli pointed out matter-of-factly, raising an eyebrow. “Besides you’re just saying that because you’re not getting any.” She stood up, leaning down to scoop Honoka into her arms, picking her up bridal style. She grinned as Honoka laughed at the gesture. “You can see yourselves out.”  
  
“Wait, but I just made…” Nico groaned as Eli waved her off, already on the way to the bedroom with Honoka. Her eyes darted to Hisa. “Well...do you wanna just go?”  
  
“Sure.” Hisa said with a shrug of her shoulders. “Do you want me to give you a ride home?”  
  
“Yeah. Please.” Nico said quietly, a slight smile tugging at her lips. She wished that she could ask Hisa to stay but she was worried that she might be pushing things too far. She gestured for Hisa to go ahead before she took a deep breath and followed the redhead from the room.   
\----  
  
“You didn’t have to walk me to the door.” Nico said sheepishly as she paused outside of the door to her apartment block. She turned to look at Hisa who smiled back at her, shrugging her shoulders.   
  
“Why wouldn’t I?” Hisa replied smoothly. “I don’t mind.”  
  
“Maybe you could um...walk me up to my apartment too?” Nico proposed hopefully. She blushed at the surprised look on her face. “Shit, that sounded like a pick-up line, didn’t it? I didn’t mean for it to. I just mean you could stay over. Like you usually do...ugh, nevermind. I’m screwing this up.”  
  
“You’re not screwing it up. I want to. I do. Just um...let me grab some things from home first, okay?” Hisa rested her hand gently on Nico’s shoulder. “I’ll be right back.”  
  
“Okay.” Nico nodded, smiling warmly at the promise. “I’ll um...start dinner. I did promise I’d get you to taste my cooking, right?”  
  
“Guess I better hurry then.” Hisa said with a soft laugh. She turned and started walking back toward her bike. Just as she reached it she heard hurried footsteps and glanced up in time to see Nico turn away from watching her, her attention caught by the tall man approaching her.   
  
Hisa saw the man’s hand reach out and her eyes widened as he grabbed Nico by the throat, pushing her against the door. She took off running back to them and threw herself toward the man holding Nico, nearly knocking him to the floor.   
  
“Get the hell away from her!” She yelled angrily as Nijima straightened up. Behind her she could hear Nico gasping, struggling to draw air into her lungs and realized just how tight Nijima’s grip must have been.   
  
“This is your fault!” Nijima moved closer, pointing past Hisa at Nico. Hisa quickly shoved him away but not before she noticed the stench of alcohol on his breath. “Don’t think I didn’t hear that you dragged Maki to the office that day. When she came ‘out’ to her dad. You talked her into this, didn’t you?!”  
  
“As if she needed to be talked into anything.” Nico scowled, rubbing her throat. “Who in their right mind would want to be with you?”  
  
“I could have MADE her!” Nijima moved forward only to be shoved back again. “She’s not always going to be there to protect you, you know. One way or another I’ll get my han-” He gasped as Hisa hit him square in the jaw, sending him stumbling to the floor. “FUCK!”  
  
Hisa grunted in pain and gripped her shoulder, her eyes watering at the sudden throbbing.   
  
“This isn’t over.” Nijima swore, glaring at Nico as her tried to stem the bleeding from his lip. He shot Hisa a dark look before he stumbled away from the apartment block, leaving drops of blood on the ground behind him.  
  
“Fucking idiot…” Hisa muttered. She turned to Nico, still gripping her shoulder. “You okay?”  
  
“Yeah, I…” Nico blinked in surprise, noticing the look of pain on Hisa’s face. “What’s wrong?”  
  
“Old injury. Wasn’t healed yet.” Hisa closed her eyes, struggling to breath through the pain. She could feel under her fingers that her shoulder wasn’t quite right. “Shit. Look, Nico...I know I said we’d hang out tonight but...raincheck?”  
  
“What? Why?” Nico asked, her stomach sinking at the thought that Hisa might have been scared off by Nijima. “I thought…”  
  
Hisa hissed in a sharp breath. “I have to go to the hospital. I’ll see you tomorrow. I promise, I just need to go right now. I’m sorry.”  
  
“It’s that bad?” Nico looked down at Hisa’s hand on her shoulder. She looked worried for a moment but that worry quickly changed to determination. “I’m calling a taxi. I’m not letting you go alone.”  
  
“What? No…”  
  
“Would you let me go alone?” Nico lifted the phone to her ear, having already dialled the number. She was relieved when Hisa seemed to give in. “Good.”

 

\-----

 

Nozomi rushed down the road to the coffee shop, her heart in her throat. Her last appointment had run late and she’d only remember after that she had a coffee date with Fumiko. She found the coffee shop lights turned off but noticed a figure leaning against the wall outside.    
  
“F-Fumiko-chan!” Nozomi skidded to a halt in front of Fumiko, her eyes wide. “Y-You’re still here!”   
  
Fumiko’s lips turned up into a slight smile. “Wow. And I figured I was late…” She noticed alarm flash across Nozomi’s features and hastened to explain. “I didn’t mean that. I understand how work is. I was late too. Do you still want to do something?”   
  
“Let’s go to a bar.” Nozomi suggested, her breathing slowly calming. “How about karaoke? We can order drinks there!”   
  
“Oh, um...sure.” Fumiko said hesitantly. “There’s one not far from here. We could walk there.”   
  
“Lead the way.” Nozomi said with a smile. She followed after Fumiko, walking by her side. “You’re okay with it, right?”   
  
“Yes, of course.” Fumiko said, nodding decisively to herself. “At least this way we still get to go out. It’s been a while since I’ve been out with...friends. I don’t really get on with the people at work.”   
  
“Even Maki-chan?” Nozomi asked, raising an eyebrow.    
  
Fumiko shook her head. “Well a little. But she’s a little...guarded sometimes. And we don’t have much time really. You know how it is.”   
  
“I definitely do.” Nozomi muttered to herself, her thoughts shifting to Eli. She quickly shook the thought off and trying to distract herself, curled her arm around Fumiko’s, pressing close to her as they walked.    
  
Fumiko’s step almost faltered, her face turning red as she felt Nozomi’s breast press against her arm. Maybe she was gay after all. Girls usually didn’t like boobs. They were usually just jealous of them. She cleared her throat, trying to force the idea of what she really wanted to do from her head.    
  
“You okay, Fumirin?”   
  
“Uh…” Fumiko swallowed heavily. Nozomi’s lips were dangerously close to her ear. “Yes. F-Fine! I’m fine. Um...we’re not far away from the karaoke bar now.”   
  
Nozomi giggled at the comment. “Oh good, I’m so tired of standing. Maybe you can carry me?”   
  
“Um...I-I…” Fumiko trailed off, her face hot. She felt like a boy on his first date. It seemed Nozomi had definitely woken her sexuality, that was for sure.    
  
“I’m joking.” Nozomi said in amusement. “But I really am tired of walking.”   
  
Fumiko looked up, relief washing over her. “Oh good. We’re here. Um...let’s go inside.”   
  
“I’m right behind you.” Nozomi took pity on the girl and let her go, choosing to trail behind her into the building instead. Her mind drifted again as she heard Fumiko request a room for the two of them. She wondered vaguely what Eli would be doing. She was probably with Honoka, Nozomi realized with a sinking feeling. If she hadn’t screwed up so badly maybe she could have still been with Eli. She felt a hand touch her arm and flinched slightly only to find Fumiko standing next to her.    
  
“Sorry.” Fumiko apologized, removing her hand. “Are you ready?”   
  
Nozomi nodded, noticing that Fumiko’s light green eyes were brighter than she had originally thought they were. “Are you full japanese?” She asked as Fumiko led them down the hallway to their room.    
  
“Huh? Oh no. I’m half Spanish. My father just named me.” Fumiko explained without hesitation. “My mother is Spanish, born in Spain. Hence why I’m much tanner than most people here. My middle name is Mariana though.”   
  
“I see.” Nozomi said with a slight smile. She couldn’t deny that she found that attractive about Fumiko. The tongue roll when she’d said her middle name was even more attractive. “Japan doesn’t have that custom. Like you Europeans.”   
  
“I guess not. Here we are.” Fumiko used the card she’d been given to unlock the door and entered along with Nozomi who shut the door behind them. “Do you want me to order?”   
  
“It’s fine, I can do it.” Nozomi said with a wave of her hand. She felt guilty for zoning out earlier. “Do you want…?”   
  
“Just an orange juice please.” Fumiko said with a small smile. She half expected Nozomi to tease her about that.    
  
“Okay.” Nozomi said simply instead as she took off her jacket. She placed her bag down, making sure to take her credit card out first before she made her way to the door. “I’ll be right back.”   
  
“R-Right.” As the door closed behind Nozomi, Fumiko let out a deep breath.    
  
\-----   
  
“How are you feeling?” Nico asked nervously as she walked out of the hospital at Hisa’s side. She cast a concerned look at the sling Hisa’s arm was now in.    
  
“You’ve asked me three times already. I’m fine.” Hisa said with a tired smile as she looked toward Nico. “The doctors told us, it’s just a repeat fracture of an old injury. Don’t…”   
  
“You should have told me.” Nico frowned, touching Hisa’s arm to draw her to a stop. “I wouldn’t have let you punch him if I’d known. He’s not worth hurting yourself over.”   
  
“No but you are.” Hisa said with a slight smile and a shrug of her shoulders. “And he was hurting you so...I couldn’t let him do that.”   
  
“I wish you’d told me.” Nico mumbled, shoving her hands into her jacket pockets. “I know you said you had an accident but I didn’t think it was so bad. And now this might keep you from work for longer. Ugh, damn it. I should never have gotten you mixed up in this.”   
  
“Nico.” Hisa reached out, lightly gripping Nico’s hand. “I have to tell you something. Important.”   
  
“O-Okay…?”   
  
“I know I said I wanted to take things slow but...I really want to kiss you right now.” Hisa felt her cheeks warm at the admission. “Would you mind if I…?”   
  
“No.” Nico answered simply. “I mean, no. I don’t mind. I want you to.”   
  
Hisa stepped forward and leaned down, noticing Nico’s eyes close as she did so. She paused for a moment, her own eyes closing as she pressed a gentle peck of a kiss to Nico’s lips before drawing away.    
  
“Wha…?” Nico’s eyes opened in surprise. “That’s it? I thought you meant a REAL kiss!”   
  
“That was a real kiss.” Hisa smiled at the flustered look on Nico’s face. “A real kiss for me. It’s a kiss of affection. Of my feelings. I poured everything into that.”   
  
Nico pouted at the explanation. She supposed she shouldn’t have expected any less. “I want to be with you.”   
  
“Slow and steady wins the race, babe.” Hisa smirked at Nico before she took her hand away and reached into her pocket for her phone. “Oh um, do you still want me to stay…?”   
  
“Yes.” Nico interrupted without giving Hisa a chance to finish the sentence. “Of course I do. I’m not letting you out of my sight right now.”   
  
Hisa laughed at the serious warning before she reached out and hugged Nico with her good arm. “Thanks.” She mumbled, lightly nuzzling Nico’s ear. “But I should be saying that to you.”   
  
Nico sighed softly and carefully hugged Hisa back, forgetting about the kiss just being a peck. She didn’t mind. She just wanted Hisa’s warmth and safety. She liked how sweet and caring Hisa was. She wasn’t like anyone Nico had dated or been attracted to in the past. “Let’s go then. I’ll call a taxi.”   
  
“Okay.” Hisa mumbled though she didn’t draw away for another minute or so.    
  
\----   
  
“So what are you going to sing this time?” Nozomi asked, her words slurring slightly as she looked up at Fumiko who was flicking through the songs on the screen.    
  
“I don’t know, I’m…”   
  
“Here, let me see.” Nozomi reached out and took the remote from Fumiko. She scrolled a few pages ahead before she noticed a spanish song on the list. “Oh, what about this? What does it mean?”   
  
“ _ Despacito _ ?” Fumiko read off of the screen. “It means...slowly.”   
  
“Oooh so it’s a sex song!” Nozomi exclaimed in realization. “Sorry. I know French. But never picked up Spanish. You’d be good at singing it though.”   
  
“Okay.” Fumiko stood nervously, nodding for Nozomi to select the song as she reached for the microphone.    
  
Nozomi bit her lip as she watched Fumiko’s hips sway in time with the song. The girl had already let down her hair, giving her a more relaxed look. Nozomi had to admit she found it attractive.    
  
Fumiko took a deep breath before she began to sing.  _ “Sí, sabes que ya llevo un rato mirándote, Tengo que bailar contigo hoy, Vi que tu mirada ya estaba llamándome. Muéstrame el camino que yo voy (Oh)...” _ _  
_   
“Fumiko.” Nozomi called Fumiko’s name, tearing her attention from the song. She turned to Nozomi with a puzzled look only to find Nozomi looking at her with a strange expression on her face. “How do you say kiss me in your other native tongue?”   
  
“ _ Bésame.” _ Fumiko replied, forgetting about the song. She saw Nozomi stand up and her heart thudded against her chest. “Means kiss me.”   
  
“Is that what you want?”    
  
Fumiko nodded slightly.  _ “Si, Nozomi bésame por favor.” _ _  
_   
Nozomi smiled to herself as Fumiko slipped further into Spanish. She leaned in and pressed their lips together without waiting another moment. She felt Fumiko’s breath hitch slightly but ignored it, feeling Fumiko slowly relax into the kiss, a hand even coming up to grip at her shirt to tug her closer. She was surprised by the strength of the girl. Fumiko was quite small too. She gently pushed Fumiko to the couch behind her, lowering herself down with the girl so as not to break the kiss.    
  
Nozomi smirked into the kiss as she felt Fumiko’s hands move from her back to her front, inching up to her chest. She did nothing to stop her. On the contrary, when Fumiko’s hand paused hesitantly, she gently gripped it and tugged it up to her chest. She felt Fumiko’s breath hitch and gave a light chuckle as she pulled away slightly. “Come on, you must know what you’re touching.”   
  
“O-Of course I do. I am an orthopedic surgeon after all.” Fumiko said, blushing in embarrassment. She looked down at her hand. “I’m just...I’ve never done this before.”   
  
“Intern.” Nozomi echoed, smirking. “I’m still your superior.”   
  
“ _ Miedra… _ ” Fumiko muttered under her breath.    
  
Nozomi curiously tilted her head. “Do you want to…?” She nodded down at her hand.    
  
“Um… _ joder _ ” Fumiko couldn’t help but think about that. “M-Maybe. But maybe we should stop. You’re drunk and…”   
  
“I’m not that drunk.” Nozomi corrected in amusement. She bit her lip, looking down at Hibiki from where she was straddling the girl’s lap. “Come on, I’ve seen you looking at me.”   
  
“ _ Te deseo _ …” Fumiko sighed. Noticing Nozomi’s look of confusion she explained. “I want you. But I don’t want this to be a fling.”   
  
“It doesn’t have to be.” Nozomi assured Fumiko though she wasn’t even sure herself that she was telling the truth. She knew better than most people that going into another relationship after a fairly serious relationship was a bad idea. “Unless we want it to be.”   
  
“I don’t think I will.” Fumiko sighed as Nozomi leaned in slightly closer. She was still conscious of her hand on Nozomi’s breast. “Just tonight?”   
  
“For now. We can see how it goes. I’m open to that.” Nozomi reassured with a smile.    
  
Fumiko looked to the door and then back to Nozomi. “My place is nearby. We can take my scooter. I’m parked right outside of the coffee shop.”   
  
“Sure.” Nozomi pecked Fumiko on the lips and grinned at the stunned look on her face. She slowly slipped off of Fumiko’s lap and offered her hand to the girl. “Let’s go.”   
  
Fumiko took Nozomi’s hand, allowing herself to be tugged out of her seat.    
  
\----   
  
Maki carefully pushed open the door to Kotori’s apartment, doing her best not to make any noise. She knew that Yume would be sleeping in the spare room and Kotori would most likely be asleep too. She closed the door behind her and looked down at her keys with a small smile, her eyes sparkling. Kotori had given her her own key a few days ago in case she needed it or wanted to use it.    
  
She gently put her keys back into her jacket pocket before sliding it off, hanging it up near the door. She slipped her shoes off too before she tiptoed to Kotori’s bedroom, letting herself into the room. She’d barely closed the door and taken two steps into the room when Kotori spoke.    
  
“Maki-chan?”    
  
“Yeah, it’s just me.” Maki crossed to Kotori’s bed and sat down on it as Kotori turned onto her side. “Did I wake you?”   
  
“No, I was awake.”    
  
Maki chuckled softly. Kotori looked tired, the imprint of her pillow on her cheek and she barely even looked awake. “Liar.” She accused playfully, leaning in to kiss Kotori’s lips.    
  
Kotori hummed softly in response as she leaned up slightly to kiss Maki back.    
  
“Can I stay tonight?” Maki asked hopefully as she drew away.    
  
“You can stay here every night if you want to.” Kotori replied smoothly before she turned onto her other side, getting back into her previous position.    
  
Maki felt a thrill of excitement course through her. Maybe someday they would live together. She got up and crossed to Kotori’s dressed, finding a few of her own shirts. She changed silently into one that reached mid thigh before she crossed back to Kotori. She got into bed with her, moving close to take her into her arms.    
  
Kotori snuggled closer, feeling Maki’s hand threading into her hair, an arm going around her protectively. “I’m glad you’re here.” She mumbled into Maki’s shoulder.   
  
“I am too.” Maki replied softly. She kissed the top of Kotori’s head before she settled back onto the pillow with a gentle sigh. “How was your day with your mom?”   
  
Kotori chuckled at the question. “Actually...nice. I haven’t taken much time off to spend time with her recently. Not that I’m glad this had to happen for…”   
  
“I know.” Maki said gently. “But we’ll get through it.”   
  
“We?”   
  
“Yes. We. I’m going to be here.” Maki said confidently. “I’m not going anywhere, no matter what happens. I’ll be here whenever you need me.”   
  
Kotori pressed her face into Maki’s shoulder, a giddy smile tugging at her lips. “I never thought that we’d actually get together. I used to think about it back when we were in high school...before I graduated. When I did graduate I figured we didn’t have a chance. It’s strange the way things work out…”   
  
“Yeah.” Maki mumbled, closing her eyes. As much as she wished she could have had more time with Kotori she was grateful that things had worked out anyway, despite neither of them gathering the courage to confess when they were in high school. “At least we’re together now.”   
  
Kotori nodded silently against Maki’s shoulder. “I love you, Maki-chan.”   
  
Maki felt her heart skip a beat at the whispered remark. “I love you too.”   
  
\----   
  
Maki walked into the locker room the next day feeling strangely upbeat. She knew the day would be filled with whispers and looks from her colleagues but she hardly cared. She had the girlfriend she had always wanted and she had her job back. Not to mention that her dad had accepted her for who she was, finally.    
  
Hearing someone muttering spanish under their breath she frowned and turned toward the only other person in the room. Fumiko was fumbling through her locker, muttering to herself. Curious about what was wrong with the girl and feeling the need to repay Fumiko for the time she had defended Maki against their colleagues, Maki walked over to her and tapped her on the shoulder.    
  
Fumiko jumped in surprise at the touch and whirled around to face Maki.     
  
“You okay?” Maki asked, raising an eyebrow in response to how distracted Fumiko seemed to be. “What did you do that...wasn’t like you?”   
  
“What?” Fumiko asked, wide eyed.    
  
“You were muttering it to yourself.” Maki explained, slightly amused by how startled Fumiko seemed to be. “I learned Spanish when I went to college. English too.”   
  
“Ugh.” Fumiko buried her face in her hands for a moment before she looked up at Maki. She stared at her contemplatively.    
  
“Um...what?” Maki asked nervously.    
  
“C-Can I talk to you for a second?” Fumiko asked hesitantly. “Something private? Without you...telling anyone else? Especially Yukari-san and Seiko-san?”   
  
“Do you really think I’d want to talk to either of them?” Maki asked skeptically. She relented at Fumiko’s pleading look. “Fine, I promise. But can we talk while I change into my scrubs? I have rounds in fifteen minutes.”   
  
Fumiko nodded in relief and followed Maki across the room to her own locker, quickly shutting the open door on her way.    
  
Maki opened her locker and cast a glance at Fumiko. “We can speak in Spanish if you want. I doubt the others will understand.”   
  
“Really, Maki? If you know Spanish the others would too!” Fumiko glanced furtively at the door. She just had to get this out quickly, she figured. Before anyone came into the room. “I-I um...I slept with someone last night. A woman.”   
  
“Oh.” Maki didn’t sound all that surprised as she tugged off her shirt. “Nozomi?”   
  
“What?!” Fumiko exclaimed in surprise. “H-How did you…?”   
  
“I heard Seiko teasing you about liking her.” Maki paused to tug on her scrub top. “I figured if you liked someone you wouldn’t want to sleep with someone else. So was it your first date?”   
  
“Yes.” Fumiko grimaced. “You must think I’m…”   
  
“I’m not judging you.” Maki interrupted, shaking her head as she hurriedly tugged on her scrub pants. “So do you regret it?”   
  
“W-Well no…” Fumiko frowned to herself. “It’s just...not something I would usually do. She just makes me feel...I don’t know. Different. Like I want to do things I usually wouldn’t.”   
  
“Sounds like you like her.” Maki advised, closing her locker. She checked her phone to make sure she hadn’t missed any texts from Kotori before she slid it into her pocket. “Just be careful with her. She just broke up with her girlfriend.”   
  
“I know. I don’t want to be a rebound or anything like that.” Fumiko sighed and leaned against the lockers. “She said I’m not. That she could see us being something more. So I want to see where it goes.”   
  
“So see where it goes.” Maki said with a small smile. “You won’t know unless you try.”   
  
“Right. Thanks, Maki-chan.” Fumiko said softly. She had to admit she felt a little better after the talk. “If you need anyone to um...talk to, I’m here too. I’d like like to think that we’re...friends.”   
  
“We are friends.” Maki said tentatively. She wondered why she still felt awkward at admitting that to people. “And...don’t worry about Nozomi. She’s not the type of person to sleep around with people she doesn’t like. I think you two would be good together.”   
  
Fumiko blushed. “R-Really?!”   
  
Maki laughed at the reaction. “I need to do my rounds. I’ll see you later, Fumiko. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”   
  
“Maki-chan!” Fumiko exclaimed, flushing in embarrassment as Maki moved past her. She couldn’t help but smile giddily though. Now it was official that Maki was her friend. Plus she had someone who could potentially be her girlfriend. Someday. Things were looking up, it seemed.    
  
TBC.    



	8. Chapter 8

Rin glanced around in awe as she strode further into Kotori’s workshop. She had been wondering where Kotori worked and had expressed to Kotori that she would like to see it. Rin frowned slightly as she remembered Kotori shuddering at the comment before stating that she didn’t feel ready to go back. She had told Rin she could go though. If she wanted to. Rin hadn’t been convinced until she had learnt that Hibiki worked there too.    
  
“Hot shot?”   
  
Rin glanced to the right, her face lighting up when she found Hibiki standing on a stool nearby “Hibiki!”   
  
Hibiki frowned over at Rin. “What are you doing here? How did you find out where I...nevermind. Kotori, right?”   
  
Rin grinned at the assumption and nodded her head. “She told me that I could come and take a look around!”   
  
“What…?” Hibiki was reaching for some fabric when she faltered, losing her footing on the stool. She let out a startled yell as she started to fall toward the floor. She closed her eyes, bracing for impact but instead fell against something significantly softer than the the floor. She cautiously opened her eyes, blinking up at Rin who was holding onto her. “Um…”   
  
“That was close.” Rin breathed a heavy sigh of relief as she helped Hibiki to stand up straight. “You should pay more attention when you’re standing on stools.”   
  
Hibiki blushed at the accusation. “Y-You distracted me!”   
  
“What? I was just talking to you…” Rin sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck. She probably should have waited until Hibiki had gotten down from the stool. “Sorry about that.”   
  
Hibiki couldn’t help but feel a little bit guilty at the apologetic look on Rin’s face. “I-It’s fine. I should have been paying more attention. So did Kotori need you to pick something up?”   
  
“No, nothing like that.” Rin said with a shake of her head. “I just wanted to have a look around, that’s all. Maybe if you have time you could...show me around? Kotori-chan said it’s fine.”   
  
Hibiki bit her lip. “I don’t know…”   
  
“Please?” Rin clasped her hands together, a pleading look on her face.    
  
Hibiki groaned and reached up, pulling her beanie down over her eyes.    
  
Rin countered the move by tugging the beanie off. “Hibiki! Please? Just for five minutes? Oooh, what if I buy you lunch to make up for it?”   
  
“Let me guess, you’re going to come to lunch with me?”   
  
Rin smiled innocently. “Yes?”   
  
“Do you have actual yen or those stupid dollar bills?”   
  
“Um…” Rin checked her pocket, emerging with a couple of twenty dollar bills. “Crap, I forgot to exchange my money! But I was in a hurry to see Kotori-chan!”   
  
Hibiki sighed. “Don’t worry hot shot, I’ll pay for you.”   
  
Rin beamed at the response and hugged Hibiki tightly, resolution in an eep from the blue haired girl. She pulled away, grinning. Hibiki really was adorable.    
  
Hibiki sighed once more and rolled her eyes before she reached out and took her beanie back from Rin. “Let’s go for lunch first. I’ll show you around after.”   
  
Rin nodded enthusiastically at the suggestion. “I’ll pay you back, I promise. Or I’ll at least pay next time we go out.”   
  
“Next time?!” Hibiki spluttered in surprise, her eyes darting toward Rin as she headed toward the entrance. “How do you know there’ll be a next time?”   
  
Rin shrugged her shoulders. “Just a feeling.”   
  
Hibiki chose not to say anything to that though she couldn’t ignore the way her heart sped up. As annoying as Rin could be, she was charming at the same time. Hibiki picked up her jacket from where it hung near the door and led the way out. She walked a short way down the path expecting Rin to “So where are we going, hot shot?”   
  
There was no answer and Hibiki paused for a moment, looking back to see that Rin had paused, staring down the empty alleyway near the workshop. “Hey, hot shot?” She called, trying to get Rin’s attention. “Rin!”   
  
Rin flinched at the sound of her name. “Huh?”   
  
Hibiki’s brow furrowed as Rin looked at her. She knew where Rin’s mind had drifted. Her own had a couple of times since Kotori’s attack. “Um...I said where are we going?”   
  
“Oh.” Rin took a deep breath and pasted a smile to her face as she jogged to catch up to Hibiki. “I don’t know. You can choose.”   
  
Hibiki opened her mouth to say something about what she had noticed but promptly closed it. It was clear that Rin didn’t want to talk about it. She sighed instead, settling for distracting her new friend.    
  
\----   
  
“How’s your arm?” Nico asked as she walked into the living room, carrying two steaming cups of tea in her hands. She walked to the couch, setting them down in front of Hisa.    
  
Hisa briefly looked down at her arm before she looked back up at Nico with a warm smile. “It’s fine. It hurts a little but it’s not so bad.”   
  
Nico nodded and sank down onto the couch with Hisa. “Are you sure you don’t mind Rin and her friend coming over?”   
  
“No, it’s fine. It’s your house, Nico.” Hisa watched with an amused expression as Nico pouted. “What?”   
  
“Nothing.” Nico said quietly, shaking her head. “Maybe I just wanted to spend the night alone with you.”   
  
Hisa felt her cheeks warm at the comment. It was said innocently enough but she couldn’t help but think of a different meaning herself. She swallowed thickly and smirked, faking confidence. “You’ll have me all to yourself later.”   
  
“Oh?” Nico raised an eyebrow and hesitantly reached out, brushing her fingers against the back of Hisa’s hand.    
  
Hisa felt her breath hitch as Nico leaned in a little. Unconsciously she leaned into, her heart in her throat. Thankfully the intercom rang, startling them both into pulling away.    
  
Nico stood up and made her way to the door to let Rin and Hibiki in while Hisa stares after her, her heart pounding quickly against her chest.    
  
Nico opened her front door, waiting for Rin and Hibiki to arrive. When they did, her brow furrowed as she noticed them bickering about something.    
  
“We already placed the order thirty minutes ago when we called your friend.” Hibiki was saying in exasperation. “It should be ready now.”   
  
“But it’s a twenty minute walk. It’s too far to go by yourself.” Rin argued firmly. “Let me go with you at least.”   
  
“I’ll be fine. Seriously. You should stay here.”   
  
Rin bit her lip. “But it’s so dark already and…”   
  
“I’ll go with her.” Hisa stood from the couch and crossed to the door as Rin and Hibiki stepped inside. She looked the girl with blue hair over for a moment. She had only met her once in passing so she didn’t know her all that well but she figured she could use some air. And some space away from Nico to gather her thoughts. “That okay with you, Hibiki-chan?”   
  
“Sure.” Hibiki shrugged her shoulders in response. She noticed a disappointed look on Rin’s face and grimaced. “You should spend time with your friend. It’s not that I don’t want you to...ugh, damn it. We’ll talk when I get back.”   
  
“I won’t be long.” Hisa promised after sliding her shoes on. Without a thought she kissed Nico’s cheek before leaving the room with Hibiki.    
  
Nico closed the door behind them and turned to Rin. She opened her mouth to speak only to be cut off.    
  
“I need your help, Nico-chan!” Rin exclaimed desperately. “I think I have feelings for Hibiki. I-I just want to jump her all of the time.”   
  
Nico groaned at the comment and rolled her eyes. “Not you too…”   
  
“Huh? Someone else wants to jump Hibiki?” Rin looked surprised then somewhat bitter. “Who?”   
  
“No, I didn’t mean...nevermind.” Nico sat back down on the couch and Rin joined her a couple of minutes later. “So you like her? Does she like you?”   
  
Rin sheepishly shrugged. “I don’t know. She blushes a lot. And she even freaked out when I tried to hug her. You know for someone who tries to act cool she’s pretty anti-social.”   
  
“Hisa is the same.” Nico mumbled, resting her head against the back of the couch. She sighed, remembering the way Hisa had casually kissed her cheek on the way out. “She seems comfortable around me though. I guess that’s a plus.”   
  
“Maybe it’s because you’re not crazy hyper.” Rin muttered bitterly.    
  
“Well I do have some issues I have to...control.”   
  
“Huh?”   
  
Nico hesitated for a moment before she reluctantly explained. “I’m...really sexually charged, Rin.”   
  
“Oh!” Rin’s eyes widened at the explanation. “Ooooh! And Hisa-chan isn’t okay with that?”   
  
“She’s fine with it.” Nico said hastily. “It’s just you know...my record.”   
  
“So you sleep around a lot?” Rin asked, raising an eyebrow.   
  
“RIN!”   
  
“Sorry. Well if it makes you feel any better...I’m kinda like that too. I just keep my distance.” Rin said with a shrug of her shoulders. “I’m not really good at relationships, I guess.”   
  
“So what do you want with Hibiki?” Nico asked, turning on the couch to face Rin. “Do you just want to sleep with her?”   
  
Rin frowned at the blunt question. She should have expected as much from Nico, she supposed. “No. Did you know she’s half English? Heh, I can actually talk to her in English. Though her accent is posher...that’s what it’s called. She lived in England.”   
  
“She’s British?”   
  
“Her mother was.” Rin explained knowingly, a small smile tugging at her lips. She was glad that Hibiki was opening up to her a little at least. “I don’t just want to have sex with her. I like getting to know her, listening to her talk and...spending time with her. I like her.”   
  
“Good.” Nico relaxed into an easy smile. “Now all you have to do is figure out if she likes you back.”   
  
“How do I do that?!”   
  
“Hell if I know.” Nico said dryly, shrugging her shoulders. “Give it some time and if you don’t figure it out just...ask her? Or take a chance and kiss her if you think she likes you.”   
  
“I can’t do that.” Rin winced at the thought. “I don’t want to screw things up.”   
  
“I know how you feel.” Nico’s thoughts flitted to Hisa. Part of her was worried that she would screw things up like she had with Kotori.    
  
“Boy.” Rin sighed heavily. “We sex fiends really suck at this huh, Nico-chan?”   
  
“Rin!” Nico growled, lightly swatting Rin’s arm. She merely earned herself a laugh in response.    
  
\----   
  
“Rin-san and Hibiki-san are asleep on the couch.” Hisa told Nico as she closed the bedroom door behind her. She padded across the room to Nico’s bed, clad in a shirt and a pair of shorts Nico had given her to sleep in. They were a little tight but it was better than nothing. “I’m pretty sure Hibiki ended up on top of Rin.”   
  
“I figured Rin would be the top.” Nico drawled, earning herself a scoff of laughter from Hisa as she crawled into bed next to her.    
  
Hisa’s stomach fluttered as she looked at Nico. It wasn’t the first time they had shared a bed but it still made her somewhat nervous. “Are you sure it’s okay for me to stay over again? I could have taken a taxi back…”   
  
“I know. But you didn’t have to.” Nico picked up the book in her lap and turned more toward Hisa. “We’ve done this before. Are you worried because Rin is here? I would have sent her home but after she told me she’s been crashing with Umi…”   
  
“No, no. It’s not that.” Hisa said hurriedly, shaking her head. She briefly bit her lip and glanced down at her arm. She’d taken the sling off for bed, comfortable in the fact that her arm would be fine with just the bandages wrapped around her shoulder.    
  
Nico followed Hisa’s gaze. “Your arm’s bothering you?” She guessed, clearly concerned. “I’ll get you something for the pain.”   
  
“No. It’s not that either.” Hisa reached out and caught Nico’s arm before she could get up. “It’s nothing. Don’t worry.”   
  
“Hisa.” Nico sighed at the response but decided not to push the subject. Instead she looked down at Hisa’s arm once more before looking up again. Expressive green eyes stared back at her and Nico felt her lips tug up into a slight smile.    
  
“You know your shirt is small.” Hisa said, trying to change the subject. “So are your shorts. They barely fit me.”    
  
As if to prove her point Hisa pushed herself to her knees next to Nico and gestured down to herself.    
  
Nico’s eyes unwittingly followed the gesture and she twitched at the sight of Hisa’s partially exposed abdomen. “Um…” She bit the inside of her cheek struggling to look away. Thankfully a moment later Hisa sank back down into a normal sitting position next to her and Nico sighed in relief.    
  
“Your face is red.” Hisa commented thoughtfully. She quickly shrugged it off though. “I’ll have to bring my own clothes over if I’m going to be staying here again.”   
  
“I think you look good in my clothes.” Nico replied. She quickly cleared her throat to rid her voice of the husky tone it had adapted. “Um...they suit you.”   
  
“Really?” Hisa asked skeptically. “I think you’re just trying to make me feel better.”   
  
“I’m not.”   
  
“The bunny hoodie looks cute.” Nico reached out, tugging at the drawstring of the hoodie Hisa was wearing. “We match.”   
  
Hisa snorted out a laugh at the comment and unconsciously reached up, grasping the hand holding onto the drawstring of the hoodie. She felt Nico freeze and their eyes met for a long moment.    
  
“Nico.” Hisa squeezed the hand in her own. “Can I kiss you?”   
  
“Um...sure.” Nico was taken aback but managed to reply. She held her breath as Hisa leaned in. She saw the redhead’s eyes close and remembered to close her own. Just as she did, lips pressed against her own. She had been expecting a quick peck like last time but the kiss was anything but. Hisa leaned into it this time, kissing Nico carefully yet insistently as the hand that had been clutching Nico’s moved to the back of Nico’s head instead.    
  
Nico returned the kiss, grasping the front of Hisa’s shirt with one hand while her other settled on the bed next to them to hold herself up. It was only when Hisa leaned closer that she let her arm fall away and allowed herself to fall to the bed, tugging Hisa with her. The weight on top of her was comforting and thrilling all at the same time. She nipped at Hisa’s lip, waiting for her to part them before she deepened the kiss.    
  
Hisa’s breath hitched at the feeling of Nico’s tongue. She felt a familiar stirring in her lower abdomen and quickly pulled away. “Sh-Shower…”   
  
“You already showered.” Nico said huskily, staring up at Hisa. “Stay with me.”   
  
Hisa looked down, her eyes wide as she took in the sight of Nico lying underneath her, her messy black hair in a bun, her lips swollen and red as she stared up at Hisa through half lidded eyes. Her hoodie was open and her shirt had ridden up too, giving Hisa a view of soft looking skin and a lacy pink bra. Hisa’s gaze dipped lower to the high thighs Nico was wearing. The shorts she was wearing had been pushed up enough to to show a faint outline of lacy panties.    
  
Hisa quickly shook her head. “W-We should take this slow.”   
  
“I’m so tired of SLOW. I’m so tired of tension, teasing...I just want you to devour me, Hisa-chan.” Nico pouted up at Hisa.    
  
Hisa opened and closed her mouth a couple of times until Nico reached up and lightly touched her face. “I-I gotta use the bathroom!” She exclaimed before she bolted off of the bed and ran for the door.   
  
Rin looked up as the door to Nico’s bedroom opened. She hadn’t been able to sleep herself. Hibiki was sleeping on top of her, shirtless and she kept moving every few seconds, only worsening Rin’s sexual frustration.    
  
Rin watched as Hisa darted toward the bathroom. “Nya, she totally wants to screw her…”   
  
Hisa closed the bathroom door behind her, taking several gulps of air. Her entire body felt overly warm and her hands trembled at her sides. “Damn it.” She muttered, crossing to the sink. She turned on the tap and splashed her face with water. “Get some self control, damn it.”   
  
She took several more deep breaths to calm herself before she stepped out of the bathroom and headed for the living room.    
  
“Damn it she’s bigger than Kayo-chin...and Michelle...and Rachel...Becca...Johanna...holy shit, I’m gay.” Rin was muttering to herself.    
  
Hisa paused, smirking. “Need some help?”   
  
Rin looked up at Hisa. “J-Just get her onto the other couch. PLEASE.”   
  
Hisa looked at her arm before sighing. “Fine but you owe me for this.” She moved over to Rin and reached down, carefully picking Hibiki up. She grimaced at the pain that shot briefly through her shoulder but managed to carry Hibiki to the other couch and set her down.    
  
“Thank you!” Rin exclaimed in relief, finally sitting up.    
  
“Wow, you weren’t kidding.” Hisa said, looking down at Hibiki. “She’s stacked. Meh, Nico’s still nicer.”   
  
Rin frowned over at Hisa. “Fuck you.”   
  
Hisa raised an eyebrow. “So the innocence is just an act? You want her. Sexually?”   
  
Rin growled under her breath. “That’s none of your business. Besides, I could ask you the same thing. But to answer your question, of course I want her sexually. But that’s besides the point. Besides, she’s more innocent than me.”   
  
“Wait, so she’s the virgin of the two of you?” Hisa laughed, mostly out of surprise than anything else. “Well I’ll be damned.”   
  
“Fuck you!” Rin seethed.    
  
Hisa held up her hands in innocence. “Sorry, it’s just Nico said you were the most innocent in Muse. I’m just…”   
  
“Well being in another country with more social freedom changes you.” Rin replied sulkily. “Especially in California.”   
  
“I see…”   
  
Rin sighed. “I don’t want to scare her so I try to be as innocent as possible around her.”   
  
“If she likes you you should show her the more daring side of you.” Hisa said, shrugging meekly. “I bet she’d like that. I mean blue haired, british accent...rebel attitude and those hot piercings Come on.”   
  
Rin blushed. “She did compliment my nose piercing…”   
  
“See?” Hisa smiled before she glanced back toward the bedroom. She wished she could take her own advice. “Anyway, I should be getting back.”   
  
“She wants you badly, nya.”   
  
“Oi!” Hisa exclaimed quickly.    
  
“Just saying us sex fiends always know what the other wants.” Rin teased. She chuckled as Hisa merely turned and headed back to the bedroom.    
  
Turning away, Rin crouched down next to Hibiki and threaded a hand gently into her blue hair. “It’s really soft…” She mumbled to herself. She blushed as Hibiki reached up to hold onto her hand, drawing it toward her cheek. “Aw damn, she’s too cute…”   
  
She felt herself calm down somewhat and folded her arm on the couch next to Hibiki. She rest her head on it, still watching the girl. “You really are different than any girl I’ve ever met. Maybe I can be your Flash. If you be my Iris…”   
  
She smiled dorkily at the thought even as her face heated further. She hoped nobody had actually heard her say that. At least Hibiki was still asleep. She noticed a smile tug at Hibiki’s lips and her own heart raced at the sight. She wasn’t sure what it was about this girl but she was different to all of the other girl’s Rin had been with in the past.    
  
She sighed softly and settled down, laying her head in her arm and closing her eyes.   
  
\----   
  
Hibiki wasn’t at all surprised when she stepped out of Kotori’s workshop only to find Rin waiting outside for her, a perky smile on her face. Her own lips twitched up automatically but she managed to suppress the urge to smile at the sight of the redhead.    
  
“Don’t look so disappointed to see me.” Rin pouted as Hibiki turned to lock up. She bound over to the blue haired girl. “I told you I would wait for you. And I figured I could treat you to dinner this time.”   
  
“Really? If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’re trying to butter me up for a date, hotshot.” Hibiki replied, smirking to herself as she finished locking the door.    
  
Rin was about to reply when her gaze shifted down and she was distracted by the tattoo on Hibiki’s shoulder blade. A raven with a rose clutched in the talons.    
  
Hibiki turned in time to catch Rin staring, her mouth slightly agape. “You like it? Got it done during uni in London. A friend did it with only ink and a needle.”   
  
“Really?” Rin asked, slightly awed at the thought. “I like it. I think...it suits you.”   
  
Hibiki raised an eyebrow at the comment. “You’re not scared of it then? Usually the eyes intimidate people. Especially guys who try to hit on me.”   
  
“Why should I be scared?”   
  
“Hmm…” Hibiki stared thoughtfully at Rin. “My mom would have liked you then.”   
  
Rin didn’t fail to miss Hibiki’s use of the past tense. “Oh, so…”   
  
“Yeah, she died when I was seven.” Hibiki replied, glancing away. The two fell silent for a moment before Hibiki cleared her throat. “We better start going. You like music, right?”   
  
“Um…”   
  
“Come on, you have to go to raves or rock houses, right?” Hibiki persisted with a smile. “I don’t want to go to dinner. Let’s do something else. Something fun.”   
  
“Clubs?” Rin asked hesitantly. When Hibiki nodded enthusiastically back at her she gave a hesitant nod herself. “Okay, sure.”   
  
Hibiki grinned. “So hot shot is a party girl, after all.”   
  
“Nya, I’m not as innocent as you think. I can get wild.”   
  
Hibiki swallowed a little as Rin stared at her darkly. “W-Wild. So…”   
  
Rin smirked. “Yeah, that too.” She watched as Hibiki nervously ran hand through her hair, coughing slightly. She leaned in closer. “What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue, nya?”   
  
“Yeah, a really big and toned on…” Hibki flushed in embarrassment when she realized what she was saying. “I-I mean shut up.”   
  
Rin gave a devious smile and turned, walking away with her hips swaying.    
  
Hibiki let out a breath as Rin left her behind. “What the hell just happened…?”   
  
\----   
  
“Why always late?” Chrom asked, raising an eyebrow as he spotted Hisa approaching the table. “Even when you arrange these things you’re never on time.”   
  
Hisa rolled her eyes as she sat down at the table next to Uni. “I’m not late. You’re all just early all of the time. Even you.” She cast a glance to her right where her brother was sitting with Hanayo next to him. “Hey Hanayo.”   
  
Hanayo flashed Hisa a warm smile, lifting her hand in a slight wave. “So why did you call us all here?”   
  
Hisa glanced around the table. Directly to her left sat Uni, a girl with black hair held up in long pigtails at each side of her head. Next to Uni sat Saya who up until that point had been silent, choosing to watch with an amused smile. Together Saya, Uni and Chrom made up her squadron, with Saya as the appointed commander of the group. Besides her squadron, the only people Hisa had invited were Raven and Hanayo. The group all knew each other however. Raven was friends with her friends too, having gotten to know them quite well and by default, Hanayo had gotten to know them too.    
  
“I need advice.” Hisa said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “Like...romantic advice.”   
  
Chrom almost choked on his soda and Hisa rolled her eyes in annoyance. “Shut up. It’s not that surprising. I do have a life you know. Away from work.”   
  
“I didn’t say it was surprising, just…”   
  
“It’s surprising.” Saya interjected pointedly. She leaned closer, intrigued by the topic at hand. “So who is it?”   
  
“It’s a girl. She’s a model.” Hisa glanced over at Hanayo, a slight grimace on her lips. “Your friend actually. Nico?”   
  
“Nico?!” Hanayo repeated, a little louder than she had intended. She looked surprised initially until the news sunk in and a bright smile tugged at her lips. “That’s great news! You would be really good for Nico.”   
  
Raven shot Hanayo a doubtful look.    
  
“Is she hot?” Uni interjected with a smirk.    
  
Hisa sighed. “She’s a model. What do you think?”   
  
“Have you…?” Uni trailed off, suggestively raising her eyebrows.   
  
Raven clamped his hands over his ears. “Lalalalala, I don’t need to hear this! Why did you invite me if you wanted to talk about this?”   
  
Hisa stared at him blankly. “You’re dating Hanayo. I figured you should come as a plus one.”   
  
“What?!” Raven lowered his hands from his ears. “Shouldn’t that be the other way around?”   
  
Chrom laughed at the interaction between the two. The way they interacted was nothing like the way he interacted with his younger sister though he supposed that was because there was 13 years age difference separating him from his sister. While he was close to her and Hisa was close to Raven, it was a different dynamic completely. His younger sister saw him as a protector, someone who would always be there no matter what happened, just as he had been in the past whereas Raven and Hisa, being closer in age tended to bicker quite a bit despite Raven looking up to Hisa. “Maybe she prefers Hana. Not that anyone can blame her, especially you.”   
  
“Chrom-kun.” Hanayo narrowed her eyes at him even as she blushed at the praise. She knew Chrom was just teasing Raven. She received a grin and a shrug in response and rolled her eyes. She was glad that she got along well with both Raven and Hisa’s friends. Over the past 6 years she’d met them quite a few times, when they weren’t working that was. It had become routine for the group of six to meet up every couple of months.    
  
“Okay, back to me.” Hisa said impatiently, drawing everyone’s attention back toward her. “So this girl I like...I really like her. REALLY. And um...the relationships she’s been in recently haven’t really worked out or even been relationships at all. They’ve just been friends with benefits relationships really. And I don’t want whatever’s going on between us to be like that.”   
  
“How do you know it will?” Saya asked curiously.    
  
“Well I don’t. But I want to take things slowly. And she wants to move faster.” Hisa replied, shrugging her shoulders. She winced slightly at the movement. “A lot faster.”   
  
Raven grimaced at the thought and Hanayo, despite being lost in her own thoughts about Nico, placed a hand lightly on his arm. He glanced toward her and reached out, placing his own hand atop Hanayo’s.    
  
“Can’t you just explain that you want to take things slowly?” Chrom asked, leaning across the table slightly, his brow furrowed.    
  
“How fast are we talking?” Uni snickered.    
  
“Uni.” Chrom glanced at Uni disapprovingly.    
  
Hisa sighed. She could always count on Uni to make jokes and for Chrom to take things seriously when he needed to. He was always able to sense what others were feeling, something Hisa had been appreciative on more than one occasion.    
  
Hanayo sighed. “She really is insatiable. Can’t keep anything in control under that skirt of hers.”   
  
“Wait so you dated her?!” Hisa bolted up from the table, causing Uni to jump slightly.    
  
“No, no, no. More like…” Hanayo paused, frowning as she tried to think of how she would explain her relationship with Nico. “Fine. I’m her ex. I was nineteen when we met up again. I was in Europe, studying abroad and she was starting her international debut in France. I always had a crush on her during high schoo…” She noticed the sour look on Hisa’s face and shook her head. ”Nevermind. But it didn’t work out. Seriously, we’re just friends so don’t kill me.”   
  
Hisa gritted her teeth. “Anything else I should know?”   
  
“Umm...we were each other’s firsts?”   
  
Hisa glanced at Raven who had just bitten off the end of a breadstick he’d idly picked up. “Seriously? You don’t have a problem with that?”   
  
Raven shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t have a problem with it. I knew she was into girls when I first met her so yeah…”   
  
Hisa narrowed her eyes at Hanayo. “You’re so never going to talk to her privately. Ever.”   
  
Hanayo huffed in annoyance and crossed her arms in front of her chest but she didn’t say anything in response, figuring it was futile to argue with Hisa.    
  
“Hey, we still haven’t seen a picture of this model.” Uni interjected before Hisa could start an argument “Just how hot is she?”   
  
Hanayo took out her phone. “Do you want a model picture or an idol picture?”   
  
Hisa frowned at the question. “Model.”   
  
Hanayo opened up a picture on her phone and handed it to Raven who passed it to Hisa.    
  
“Whoa, she is kinda hot.” Uni said, raising an eyebrow as she looked at the picture. She grunted as Saya squeezed close to look at the picture.    
  
“Hey, I wanna see too.” Chrom protested, getting up from his seat. He moved over to them to look over their shoulders. “I guess she is.”   
  
“Oh, scroll to the idol ones!” Saya exclaimed as Uni scrolled through a few more pictures. She frowned as Chrom draped an arm over her shoulder, his other arm going over Uni’s as he leaned in closer to the phone so he could see better. “Ugh. Chrom.”   
  
Chrom grinned playfully at her and shrugged his shoulders.    
  
“Damn, she’s cute.” Uni said, her eyes wide. “Twin tails! Oh, is that Hanayo? And who’s the hot redhead?!”   
  
“Maki-chan is already taken.” Hanayo explained.    
  
“Her bust got bigger over the years.” Uni said with a grin.    
  
“No more out of you!” Hisa exclaimed while Saya frowned at Uni.    
  
Chrom straightened up, patting Saya reassuringly on the shoulder as he went back to his seat.    
  
Hanayo looked up at Hisa as her phone was passed back to her. “Please do whatever you can to make her happy. Nico-chan is the one person in Muse who deserves the happy ending we all dream of. Especially after all she went through in her upbringing.”   
  
“I will.” Hisa said sincerely, nodding her head.    
  
“Not to kill the mood.” Chrom said after a moment of silence. “But can we order now? I’m starving.”   
  
Saya rolled her eyes and tossed her napkin at him. “You’re always hungry.”   
  
“I am not!”   
  
“It’s true.” Raven piped up, earning himself a betrayed look from Chrom.    
  
“Hey!”   
  
Hanayo tapped Raven’s hand and when he glanced at her she leaned in close, whispering something to him. He nodded and they both stood up, switching seats.    
  
Hisa bit her lip. “I don’t want to take advantage…”   
  
“You won’t.” Hanayo said softly with a knowing smile. She had noticed that Hisa still looked hesitant. “If she wants to go further let her know you want it too. The last thing she wants is to feel undesirable. Just be honest with her. Don’t play games.”   
  
“I’m not…”   
  
“I know.” Hanayo interjected with a slight shake of her head. “Just do what feels right and don’t hold back.”   
  
“Right.” Hisa sighed softly though she couldn’t deny that the talk with Hanayo had helped most of all. She glanced up, catching Chrom’s eye. He pointed at his own arm and nodded at Hisa’s, causing her to look down. She’d intentionally kept it hidden beneath her jacket to hide her sling.    
  
“Later.” She said out loud, earning herself a few confused looks from the others and a nod from Chrom.    
  
\----   
  
Yukari sighed as she rested her chin in her hand, her gaze drifting around the cafe she found herself sitting in. Seiko had ditched her for a mixer a short while ago but she wasn’t in the mood to go home yet so she’d figured she’d stay in the cafe a little while longer.    
  
Her gaze landed on a familiar looking girl sitting in a booth. Despite the beanie the girl was wearing, Yukari recognized her as Kousaka Honoka and she sat up a little straighter. There was no mistaking it was her. There was another girl next to her. A blonde girl Yukari vaguely recognized as one of Maki’s friends.    
  
Deciding to snap a picture of the two, Yukari carefully positioned her phone. Seiko would be so jealous. She almost froze when Honoka leaned into the blonde girl, lightly pecking her lips. She quickly took the picture, her heart racing.    
  
“No way, I thought she was straight as an arrow.” Yukari mumbled to herself. “Damn, she really is a good actress. Hmm…” She looked down at the picture. “I could get a lot of money for this. But it’s pretty private. Guess I’ll ask Seiko what she thinks.”   
  
She nodded to herself and subtly slid the phone back into her pocket. She was sure nobody had noticed her taking the picture, let alone Honoka and the blonde girl who seemed to be completely absorbed in each other.    
  
“Eli-senpai, isn’t that the girl who shrieked my name in the hospital?” Honoka asked, nodding to Yukari as she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye.    
  
“You mean the one who fainted when she saw you?”   
  
“She looks lonely.”   
  
“Honoka…” Eli groaned, noticing the look on Honoka’s face. “We’re meant to be on a date.”   
  
“I’m just saying. Hey you!” Honoka raised her voice, her gaze shifting to Yukari. She watched as the girl froze. “Yeah, you. Come over!”   
  
“You’ve gotta be kidding me right now.” Eli muttered sullenly as the girl started to hesitantly walk over to the table.    
  
“You’re Maki-chan’s friend, right?” Honoka asked with a smile as Yukari reached the table. “From the hospital?”   
  
“I wouldn’t say friend but we work together, yeah.” Yukari replied, glancing between Honoka and Eli. She wasn’t sure what was going on but she was nervous that they actually might have seen her take the photo.    
  
“Sit down!” Honoka gestured across to the other side of the booth.    
  
“Are you two dating?” Yukari blurted out. “I’m sorry. I mean...Seiko wouldn’t like that one of her favourite actresses is...gay. Not that I mind. I don’t mind.”   
  
“I’m not.” Honoka said simply, shaking her head. She cast a sideward glance at Eli to see her frowning. “Uh...we’re friends. We went to school together.”   
  
“I saw you two kissing though. You can tell me. I won’t tell anyone, I promise.” Yukari said, leaning forward slightly. She could barely wait to tell Seiko about the events of the day. “I seriously don’t mind if you sway that way.”   
  
“Don’t worry, I’m not.” Honoka said with an awkward chuckle.    
  
“But…”   
  
“She’s straight. Like she said.” Eli chimed in firmly, narrowing her eyes at the girl sitting across from them. She didn’t know why the girl couldn’t just drop it. “Why do you ask anyway? Have you been watching us?”   
  
“W-What?” Yukari felt her blood run cold at the insinuation. “No! Of course I haven’t. I didn’t even know you were in here.”   
  
“Eli-senpai.” Honoka shook her head at the blonde. She got the impression that Eli’s anger was somewhat misplaced but she supposed that was her fault, having invited someone else onto their date with them in effect.    
  
Yukari wondered is she should show them the picture for the sake of being honest. It was clear the blonde was trying to protect Honoka. Her hand went to her phone but she didn’t do anything else. She couldn’t just give up what she had. Eli would probably make her delete it. “It was nice talking to you, Kousaka-san. You really made my day. Bye, um…”    
  
Eli noticed Yukari glance at her. “Ayase Eli.”   
  
“Right. Well...bye.”   
  
Eli watched as Yukari stood and walked out of the cafe. When the girl was finally gone she let out an annoyed sigh.    
  
“You might have to get used to that.” Honoka said with a sheepish smile as she shrugged her shoulders. “Dates usually um...go like that for me.”   
  
Eli simply nodded her head, clearly still sulking.    
  
Honoka sighed and slipped her hand into Eli’s. “I still want to go to the beach. Just you, me and the setting sun. I really loved the beach.”   
  
“Okay.” Eli said softly.    
  
Honoka let out a sigh. “Eli-senpai.” She gave the hand in her own a gentle squeeze. “Why are you mad?”   
  
“I’m not.” Eli replied, trying to ignore the way her stomach twisted uncomfortably. “It’s fine. You’re famous and you get distracted. It’s not like I’m not used to this happening.”   
  
“I’m not going to make the same mistake as Nozomi-chan.” Honoka said with a frown. “Even with all of my fans. You’ll be number one.”   
  
Eli glanced over at Honoka for a moment before giving a slight nod of her head. “Okay.”   
  
“I love you.” Honoka said solemnly, causing Eli’s eyes to widen. “I love you, I love you, I love you.”   
  
Eli blushed at the repetition and looked down at her lap, a slight smile tugging at her lips. “I love you too.”   
  
“I want to marry you, Eli-senpai. Have I ever told you that?”   
  
Eli’s head jerked up and she fixed Honoka with a wide eyed stare. “Honoka! Y-You...really? I mean...wait, you can’t just say something like that so casually!”   
  
Honoka smiled and shrugged her shoulders. “Lately I’ve been thinking about it. I feel like I can finally start a family. I’m in my late 20’s now and being with you just feels right. I’m not saying right now but someday, right? I even have a ring and everything. Mama gave my Grandma’s ring when I came out to her. I’ve been holding it for a while...”   
  
“I-I don’t know what to say.” Eli stuttered, shocked by the comment.    
  
“Just say yes. If you want.” Honoka turned slightly more toward Eli. “Ayase Eli, will you be my partner for life?”   
  
“Yes.” Eli answered without hesitation.    
  
Honoka beamed at the answer and leaned forward only to hesitate. “I would kiss you but…”   
  
“When we get home.” Eli replied with a bright smile as she grasped Honoka’s hand. “I promise.”   
  
\----   
  
Hisa was just about to follow her friends and brother out of the restaurant they’d gathered in when Hanayo gently caught her arm and tugged her back. “If you need any more advice you can call me, you know.”   
  
Hisa hesitated for a moment, glancing at the door. “Well she told me she likes it…”   
  
“Rough?” Hanayo raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, that might be my fault. Honestly she may be dominant in your relationship during the day,  but at night she wants to be the one dominated. Nico-chan is like a cat in heat...or a cat in general. But um...maybe let your arm rest first. Nico will destroy it again anyway.”   
  
“You noticed?” Hisa winced, looking down at her arm. She knew Chrom had noticed too which was why he was waiting to speak to her about it. She was sure nobody else had noticed though.    
  
“Kinda easy to.” Hanayo smiled. “Plus, I’m wearing contacts this evening. Don’t worry, the others didn’t notice. I think Raven was sitting too close to you to see anything.”   
  
Hisa breathed a sigh of relief. She knew he would only worry.    
  
Hanayo looked down at Hisa’s arm. “How did it…?”   
  
“Nijima.”   
  
Hanayo’s eyes widened before she growled under her breath. “What the hell did he do?”   
  
“I...he was trying to hurt Nico.”   
  
“WHAT?!” Hanayo’s voice rose a little. “And you didn’t tell me before? I’m going to kill him!”   
  
“Get in line.” Hisa said dryly, looking down at her arm.    
  
Hanayo took a deep breath. She needed to go and see Nico but she kept that to herself. “Thanks for keeping her safe.”   
  
Hisa nodded in response. “I have to go. Chrom is waiting for me. I’ll see you later, Hanayo.”    
  
“Yeah, see you.” Hanayo mumbled as Hisa turned and walked away, heading for the door. Her hands closed into fists. She really needed to see Nico.    
  
\-----   
  
Nico padded over to the door to her apartment, her brow furrowed in confusion. She wasn’t expecting anyone. Even Hisa was busy with her friends that night, she had mentioned, so Nico wasn’t sure how it was. She looked through the peephole in her door, her heart leaping at the unexpected sight of Hanayo standing outside of the door.    
  
She stood and watched for a moment as Hanayo seemed to wipe her hands against her jeans. Finally Nico opened the door and stared at Hanayo with a hint of curiosity. “Hanayo?”   
  
“Nico-chan.” Hanayo replied smoothly, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Hi. Um...can I come in?”   
  
“Oh, sure.” Nico stepped out of the way to let Hanayo pass. She closed the door behind her and turned in time to see Hanayo slip her shoes off. “I...didn’t expect to see you here. It’s late.”   
  
“Sorry.” Hanayo grimaced slightly as she followed Nico into the living room. She supposed she should have waited to speak to Nico another day, given that the drive home would take her a couple of hours but she had wanted to see her as soon as possible.    
  
“Do you want a drink? I can make tea…” Nico said, remembering her manners as they paused in the middle of the living room.    
  
“No, I won’t stay for long.” Hanayo answered, shaking her head. She glanced around the room for a moment before she spoke again. “I just wanted to check in on you. To see how you are.”   
  
“I’m…” Nico hesitated for a moment. Truthfully she was frustrated. “I’m fine.”   
  
Hanayo’s eyes shifted to Nico’s neck where she noticed faint finger marks. She wondered if that had happened when Nijima had went after Nico. She reached a hand out, brushing her fingers against the mark.    
  
Nico shivered but shrunk away from the touch. “You know it’s really stupid of you to come here.”   
  
Hanayo frowned. “I’m your friend.”   
  
“You’re always my ex. My real, true and only ex.” Nico reminded Hanayo pointedly. She swallowed hard and looked away. “It’s not a good idea for you to be here.”   
  
“I wanted to check on you. I heard what happened.” Hanayo nodded to the marks on Nico’s neck. “I was worried about you. As your friend.”   
  
Nico rolled her eyes at the addition to the comment.    
  
“Listen.” Hanayo released a slow breath. “Hisa likes you a lot.”   
  
Nico gritted her teeth. “But I want her to want me. Just like when you did.”   
  
“Moron.” Hanayo said though her voice was gentle. “I will always want you. But that’s in the past. We both grew up. We broke up because I was holding you back and we both know it.”   
  
“Hisa doesn’t want me.” Nico replied bitterly. “And I guess nobody does. I mean we broke up. Adele cheated on me or whatever and Kotori...I fucking scared her. I’m never going to have my own family or get married. I suck at relationships, I…”    
  
Hanayo’s heart wrenched as Nico choked on her words and she stepped forward, hugging her fiercely. She felt Nico hug her back as tightly as she could and felt her own eyes prickle. She hated seeing Nico hurting.    
  
“Why do you always do this?” Nico asked tearfully, her voice somewhat muffled by Hanayo’s shoulder. “You’re the only person besides...Hisa to makes me into a sobbing mess.”   
  
“Because I know you.” Hanayo replied softly, stroking Nico’s hair. “I know you up close and personal.”    
  
Nico sniffled softly. “Hanayo…”   
  
“Maybe I was an idiot for coming.” Hanayo muttered under her breath.    
  
“You’re engaged.” Nico reminded Hanayo reluctantly. “Control yourself.”   
  
“I know.” Hanayo chuckled and lightly nuzzled Nico’s ear, earning herself a sigh from Nico. “Don’t worry.”   
  
Nico drew away just slightly to look at Hanayo. “Can you just hold me for a bit? You always want me.”   
  
Hanayo nodded solemnly. “Yeah.”   
  
“Will you stay over?” Nico asked hopefully. “I just...want you here. I don’t want to do anything, just…”   
  
“I’ll just hold you.” Hanayo replied quietly, flashing Nico a small smile. She gently tucked a strand of hair behind Nico’s ear. “Even if you don’t see it right now, Hisa is so much better for you than I ever could have been.”   
  
Nico nodded, tears lacing her eyes. “I miss seeing you beside me though. Seeing your smile made me feel like I could do anything.”   
  
“But Hisa makes you feel the same way, right?”   
  
Nico nodded. “I’m scared, Hanayo.”   
  
Hanayo drew Nico back to her, holding her closer. She felt the model bury her head into her shoulder in response. “I know but you have to take the chance, Nico. She’s perfect for you. Maybe even made for you. I’ll always love you but I’ve moved on. You should...take the chance with Hisa.”   
  
Nico nodded silently and Hanayo drew back, gently kissing Nico’s forehead.”Go get that navy girl, tiger.”   
  
Nico managed a tearful smile. “I will.”   
  
“Good.” Hanayo said softly, lowering her arms. Her smile slipped away and she slid her hands into her pockets. “She’s a good person.”   
  
“I know. She reminds me of you when...you’re in flirt mode.”    
  
Hanayo chuckled before she looked away, her stomach turning a little. She still didn’t feel like there was enough closure between her and Nico. Maybe there never would be. She glanced at Nico, noticing a far off look in her eyes.    
  
“Should we go to bed?” Nico asked awkwardly.    
  
Hanayo sighed. “Wouldn’t that be my cue to pick you up?” She noticed surprise flash across Nico’s face. “I’m kidding. Um...sure.” She noticed Nico look away and raised an eyebrow. “Oh my god, you WANT me to pick you up.”   
  
“Hey, you offered.”    
  
Hanayo smirked before she swooped down, picking Nico up bridal style. “I guess I did, huh?”   
  
Nico sighed, her arms going around Hanayo’s neck. “We’ll never be normal friends, huh?”   
  
“Nope.” Hanayo replied as she carried Nico to the bedroom. “We’re stuck in this vortex of temptation, tension and awkwardness. Still wouldn’t change it for the world, Nico-chan. I want my friend in my world.”   
  
“Ex.”   
  
“Best friend with a past.” Hanayo argued, causing Nico to scoff.    
  
“Fine.”   
  
Hanayo gently placed Nico down on the bed before she straightened up. She placed her hands at the hem of her shirt, tugging it off.    
  
Nico’s eyes widened. “Wh-Wha…?”   
  
“Idiot, I don’t want to sleep in my clothes.”   
  
“R-Right, I still have a shirt I stole from you and your sweats.” Nico said, blushing as she looked away. “They’re at the bottom of my panties drawer. Over there.”   
  
“Kinky.”   
  
“I don’t want anyone to find them!” Nico exclaimed defensively.    
  
“Still, hiding my clothes under your panties and bras…” Hanayo drawled as she made her way over to the drawers Nico had pointed out.    
  
“HANAYO!” Nico growled and lay down on her back to give Hanayo some privacy to change. A few long minutes of silence passed before she felt the bed dip next to her. She looked up, finding Hanayo sitting at her side.    
  
“You definitely want me to stay?” Hanayo asked quietly. “I can sleep in the living room if you want.”   
  
“I do. Want you to stay.” Nico said with a shake of her head. “It’s fine, really. We’re friends. We just have a past, like you said. That’s all. I mean what do you want to do? Kiss me?”   
  
Hanayo turned red and looked away, images she really didn’t need filling her mind. “Nico-chan!”   
  
“You do!”   
  
Hanayo grabbed a pillow and hit Nico with it. “No, I don’t.”   
  
“Liar!”   
  
“H-Hey, I got attacked, be gentle with me.”   
  
Hanayo dropped the pillow and froze for a moment. Tears gathered in her eyes and she dove forward, hugging Nico tightly.    
  
Nico grunted as Hanayo landed on top of her but hugged her back anyway, basking in how much Hanayo cared for her. “I-It wasn’t as bad as it seemed.”   
  
“I don’t care.” Hanayo replied gruffly, hugging Nico tighter. “I don’t want to lose you.”   
  
Nico felt a shiver course through her. “I think I said the same thing when you broke up with me.” She mumbled. She gave a gentle squeeze to let Hanayo know she wasn’t angry. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”   
  
“I’m not worried.” Hanayo lied, drawing back slightly. “You have Hisa now. You’ll be fine.”   
  
“Yeah.” Nico whispered, reaching up to brush away the tears on Hanayo’s cheeks. Her chest tightened when Hanayo drew away slightly. “We’ll be fine.”   
  
Hanayo sighed, closing her eyes. “Hisa is gonna kill me.”   
  
Nico felt her heart leap. “Why?”   
  
“Because we can’t stop moving closer. You’re like a magnet.” Hanayo briefly clenched her teeth, trying to control herself. “You like Hisa. And I’m...in love with Raven. I really shouldn’t be here.”   
  
Nico’s eyes darted to the side. “Are you going to leave?”   
  
Hanayo hesitated before shaking her head. “Not tonight. Let’s just...sleep. I’ll be here. Until tomorrow. I promise. We’ll get through this, Nico-chan. This needed to happen. We haven’t talked or been alone together since I was twenty one.”   
  
“Yeah.” Nico mumbled as Hanayo moved off her. She followed suit, slipping into the bed only to curl into Hanayo’s arms as soon as she did so. She felt a light kiss being pressed to her cheek and let out a soft sigh. “I’ll always love you, Hanayo.”   
  
There was a moment of silence before Hanayo spoke, her voice a little thicker than usual with emotion. “Me too.”   
  
“Do you think this is ever going to feel normal?” Nico whispered into the dimly lit room. The only light came from a lamp next to her bed. She had switched it on before she’d heard the knock at the door earlier.    
  
“Maybe. Eventually.” Hanayo said softly, closing her eyes. “We’ll get used to being friends again. Just friends.”   
  
Nico was about to answer when the bedroom door creaked open. She bolted upright, her heart in her throat at the thought that someone might have broken in. She relaxed a little as Hisa inched into the room. “Hisa!”   
  
“Spare k…” Hisa trailed off as she noticed Hanayo next to Nico.    
  
“It’s not what you think.” Hanayo said quickly, holding her hands up. “I just came over to give Nico some advice about dating and she asked me to stay with her for the night. As her friend.”   
  
Hisa crossed her arms in front of her chest. “I thought I told you…”   
  
“Yeah, I know.” Hanayo interjected. “No private time with Nico-chan. I got that. But I needed to see her. You told me she was attacked and I wanted to help her. And you. She just didn’t want to be alone so…”   
  
“Well I’m here now so you can go if you want.” Hisa said pointedly, stepping away from the door.    
  
Nico raised an eyebrow in response to the jealousy lacing Hisa’s voice.   
  
“It’s midnight.” Hanayo pointed out with a frown.    
  
“Call Raven. He’ll come and pick you up.” Hisa said pointedly, crossing her arms in front of her chest.    
  
Hanayo groaned and rolled her eyes as she slipped away from Nico.    
  
Nico automatically reached for Hanayo, her hand gripping the back of the girl’s shirt.    
  
Hisa looked toward Nico. “I can stay with you if you want. I’m sorry about earlier, I was just...my friends are leaving in a couple of days to go back to work and I won’t see them for a while. Do you um...want me to stay?”   
  
Nico hesitated for a moment before she let go of Hanayo’s shirt. “Yeah. Okay. But I um...I want Hanayo to stay too. I want you both to stay.”   
  
Hisa sighed, rubbing her temples and shook her head. “I’ll come by tomorrow if you want to stay with your...friend. I don’t mind. Sleeping with my brother’s girlfriend is way too weird for me, Nico.”   
  
Hanayo hesitated for a moment before she gave a slight nod in agreement. She could see where Hisa was coming from. “No, no. Stop. Hisa, you should stay, okay? Nico-chan…” She turned toward Nico, fixing her with a pointed stare. “Remember what we talked about.”   
  
Nico grasped Hanayo’s hand to keep her from moving. “I don’t want you to be out there. Not with...him.”   
  
Hanayo’s eyes widen as she watched panic cross Nico’s face. “Hey, calm down.”   
  
“First Kotori then me. What if he goes after you or Honoka or…?”   
  
Hanayo hugged Nico gently. “I’ll be fine, Nico-chan. I’ll call Raven, he won’t let anything happen to me. And this Nijima guy doesn’t even know me. Don’t worry about me.”   
  
“You live outside in the suburbs.” Nico said impatiently. “Not the city. It’ll take him hours to pick you up, you idiot. Damn it, why am I the only responsible one in our group?”   
  
“Okay, okay. I’ll call Kotori-chan and let her know I’m coming over.” Hanayo said, drawing away from Nico. She couldn’t help but smile softly at Nico’s protective streak.    
  
“Call her now in front of me. Like hell I’m trusting you to do it when I’m not looking.”   
  
Hanayo sighed but moved to pick up her phone from the bedside table where she’d placed it. She called Kotori and after a couple of rings, Kotori answered. “Kotori-chan! You’re still awake!”   
  
“Maki-chan just got in.” Kotori answered, sounding a little bit tired. “What’s going on?”   
  
“Um…” Hanayo looked toward Nico. “I’m kind of...in the city right now and I was wondering if I could stay over at your place just for tonight?”   
  
Kotori groaned. “You’d have to sleep on the couch with Rin-chan  and Hibiki-chan.”   
  
“Hibiki who?”   
  
“My intern. Well my assistant now.”   
  
“Don’t you have a spare roo-”   
  
“My mom is still living with me too.” Kotori said in despair. “Sorry, Hanayo-chan .”   
  
“It’s fine, um...I’ll call Eli-chan. Goodnight, Kotori-chan.” Hanayo didn’t wait for a response before she hung up the phone. She bit her lip as she looked back to Nico. “Eli-chan’s probably busy. Can I sleep on your couch, Nico-chan? I’ll text Raven to pick me up early tomorrow.”   
  
“Sure.” Nico said, feeling at least a little more at ease. “Promise you won’t leave until tomorrow morning though.”    
  
“I promise.” Hanayo smiled, standing up from the bed. “Goodnight, Nico-chan.” She walked past Hisa, raising an eyebrow. “She’s all yours.”   
  
“Hey where did you get fitting sleeping clothes?” Hisa asked in confusion, recalling the times she’d had to wear clothes that were too small for her.    
  
“They’re mine from a long time ago.” Hanayo winked as she made her way into the living room to the couch.    
  
Hisa frowned after Hanayo before finally shaking her head. She looked back to Nico who was looking down at her blankets. She closed the door and crossed over to the bed. “Do you want me to stay, Nico?”   
  
Nico sat up and grabbed Hisa’s collar, pulling her into a firm kiss. “Yes. And now I’m going to take my chance and make you my lover. But first I’m so fucking tired.”   
  
Hisa smiled softly. Aware of what Nico wanted, she climbed into the bed and drew Nico close to her. “I’ll stay.”   
  
Nico breathed a sigh of relief. “Goodnight.”   
  
“Goodnight, Nico-chan.”   
  
\----   
  
“We should do something today.” Honoka said as she walked out of Eli’s apartment with her. She felt Eli’s grip on her hand loosen and automatically let go herself.    
  
“We are doing something.” Eli replied smoothly, casting a grin at Honoka.    
  
“I mean besides going out for breakfast.” Honoka said with a fond roll of her eyes as they strolled down the corridor toward the stairs.    
  
“We could check in on Kotori after.” Eli said knowingly. “And then go to the beach like we planned yesterday.”   
  
“Not my fault you wouldn’t let me leave the bedroom.” Honoka said in a low tone of voice as they descended the stairs. She earned herself a light nudge from Eli even as the blonde blushed. “What? You know it’s true.”   
  
Eli was about to reply when she stepped out of the front door to the apartment block only to be greeted by a crowd and the sudden flash of cameras in her face. Before she could react she felt herself being shoved away from Honoka. “Honoka!”   
  
  
“Kousaka-san! Is it true that you’re dating a girl?”   
  
“Will you make a comment about the nature of your relationship?” Someone else asked, holding up a tabloid newspaper. “What do you have to say about this kiss?”   
  
Honoka felt her blood run cold when she saw the picture. It was clearly just a peck but it was clearly a picture of her kissing Eli. She snatched the paper away from the person, her heart thudding hard against her chest.    
  
“Is it true that you’re gay, Kousaka-san…?”   
  
“I’m not, I mean…”   
  
“Have you had sex? Is this the reason you never dated any of your co-stars?”   
  
Honoka noticed hurried movement out of the corner of her eye and then suddenly Eli was shoving herself between her and the reporter. She saw Eli draw her arm back before punching the reporter hard, sending him stumbling to the floor.    
  
“If you don’t back off now.” Eli growled, clutching her hand to her chest. She felt hands grip at her back but knew it was only Honoka. “I’m suing all of you.”   
  
“Aren’t you Ayase Eli?” Another reporter asked as he stepped closer. “The young junior lawyer who’s been winning all of her cases  at the Sumikawa law firm?”   
  
Eli gritted her teeth. “Stay the hell away from us.” She warned before she turned and led Honoka back into the apartment block. The walk back up to her apartment was eerily silent though it only lasted a moment as they hurried up the stairs. Eli’s hand stayed on Honoka’s back for the entire walk up the stairs however once they were safely back inside of her apartment Honoka broke away.    
  
Eli watched as Honoka took a few steps away, her fingers sinking into her hair.    
  
“Shit, shit, SHIT!” Honoka cursed loudly as she paced back and forth. Her heart raced inside of her chest and she felt her skin heat up for no apparent reason.    
  
Eli swallowed thickly. “Honoka, it’s going to be okay, I promi-”   
  
“NO!” Honoka turned around to face Eli. “How is it going to be okay? They all KNOW!”   
  
Eli’s heart sank at the anger in Honoka’s voice. “Is that really such a bad thing?”   
  
“Of course it’s a bad thing!” Honoka exclaimed before her phone rang. She took it out of her pocket, her stomach dropping at the sight of her agent calling. She answered quickly. “N-Nagi-kun…”   
  
“Don’t Nagi-kun me, Honoka. What the hell happened that exposed your sexuality?!” The man on the other side of the phone exclaimed furiously. “I’m getting calls from the agency. This is bad. I can’t hold these networks off any long-”   
  
Honoka hung up the call before her agent could finish speaking, her mind racing.    
  
“Honoka…”   
  
Honoka threw her phone hard toward the couch where it landed with a disappointingly soft thump. “My career is over. It’s done.” She gritted her teeth, her eyes brimming with tears. How could she have been so careless?   
  
Eli inched forward and stepped around Honoka so that she was standing in front of her. She reached forward to hug her only for Honoka to shrink away with a whimper.    
  
Eli was briefly hurt by the subtle rejection but a moment later she felt a surge of determination and lunged forward, hugging Honoka tightly. This time Honoka didn’t protest. “I’m a damn lawyer. I’ll sue whoever did this.”   
  
“But it’s YOU!” Honoka exclaimed tearfully. “They’ll know it’s true.”   
  
“I can make it as a privacy lawsuit.” Eli replied firmly. “Defame whoever did this. And you just have to say in a press conference that the picture was forge. Put together with a random picture of one of your friends. Maybe we can...think of some kind of cover story for you. About your relationships…”   
  
Honoka sniffled softly. “What do you mean?”   
  
“I-I don’t know yet. But I’ll figure it out.” Eli said confidently. “I promise. Have I ever broken a promise to you?”   
  
Honoka gave a slight shake of her head as she pulled away. “I’m sorry.” She said softly, her voice thick with emotion as tears trickled down her cheeks. “You’re too good for me. Y-You should be with someone who isn’t hiding. Who you can go on r-real dates with and…”   
  
“Don’t say that.” Eli said, firmly gripping Honoka’s arms as fear crossed her face.    
  
“It’s true…”   
  
“That doesn’t matter to me.” Eli insisted hurriedly. “I just want to be with you, Honoka. I don’t care if it’s in secret or not. Don’t you dare think about breaking up with me again because you think I deserve ‘better’. I want YOU. That’s all. I want to be your wife. Like we talked about.”   
  
Honoka broke away from Eli and crossed to her jacket which she’d left hanging near the door when they’d gone out. She rummaged through her pockets frantically.    
  
Eli slowly approached, reaching Honoka just as the girl turned around with a ring held in her trembling hands. Slowly, Eli held out her hand to Honoka who gripped it and tearfully slid the ring onto her finger.    
  
“I don’t want to lose you.” Honoka said tearfully, looking up into Eli’s eyes. “But I’ve screwed this up before. I’ve made the wrong choice before.”   
  
“But not again.” Eli stepped forward and hugged Honoka tightly, kissing the side of her head. “Not this time.”   
  
\---   
  
“Wait, you want us to do what?!” Raven glanced at Hanayo wide eyed. “And...you’re okay with this?”   
  
Hanayo shrugged her shoulders. “I already confessed to dating a muse member. You can fake date one. Besides, I trust you. And it’s just for a while. Right, Honoka?”   
  
Honoka nodded in response, trying not to bring too much attention to herself. She was in incognito mode already, wearing sunglasses and a mask along with a cap.    
  
“Um...where do I fit into this?” Chrom asked uncertainty, glancing around the table.    
  
“We need to take a picture of Honoka kissing you.” Eli replied, grimacing at the thought. “Just a peck. You’re the fake ex.”   
  
“Got it.” Chrom nodded his head, relieved that he understood what was going on.    
  
Hanayo noticed Raven smirking and lightly smacked his arm. “What are you thinking about?”   
  
“Huh? Nothing, just...well she’s a hotshot actress.” Raven said with a shrug of his shoulders. “Do you know how jealous everyone at the station is going to be? And Hisa is dating a model. I’d say we’re doing pretty well for ourselves. AND Itsuki dated a medical student who was top of her class.”   
  
“I was dating the model first.” Hanayo pointed out, rolling her eyes. “You can have your fun. Just as long as you don’t forget who you’re actually engaged to.”   
  
“Never.” Raven said with a bright smile.    
  
Eli cleared her throat. “Right so anyway, you’ll need to go on fake dates. Hold hands, stuff like that...just let the press see you together.” She paused as Honoka leaned over and whispered to her. “Yes, we’ll go on dates lowkey and yes, you come to my bed.”   
  
“Um, I have a question…” Raven awkwardly scratched the back of his head. “We don’t have to you know...kiss, right?”   
  
“I’m against the kissing.” Hanayo said, raising her hand slightly.    
  
Honoka twitched before pulling down her mask. “No offense but I don’t want to do anything but pecks.”   
  
Eli frowned, glancing between the three. “You’ll have to do at least one fifteen second kiss. Honoka, just...pretend you’re acting. You said yourself you usually get romantic roles.”   
  
Honoka looked down at the table with a frown. “I don’t kiss anyone unless it’s for a role. Except you.”   
  
“Look, I’m your lawyer, Honoka. We need to do this cover story right.” Eli explained gently, grasping Honoka’s hand under the table. “Just until the lawsuit goes through or the rumors fade.”   
  
Honoka nodded silently. “I guess.”   
  
“If it makes you feel better I don’t want to kiss you either.” Raven said helpfully. “And I don’t have years of acting to help me pull it off.”   
  
“I’ve worked with worse actors so don’t worry. Just follow my lead.” Honoka said with a shake of her head. “Just don’t fall for my act. I’m gay as a beacon.”   
  
“Huh…” Raven nodded thoughtfully. “I’m with Hanayo.”   
  
“Yeah, I know. You said that earlier too.” Honoka said with a roll of her eyes while Hanayo chuckled into her hand.    
  
\----   
  
Eli reached up, gently adjusting Honoka’s beanie on her head as she looked her girlfriend over. Honoka looked nervous, she noticed with a hint of concern. “This is going to work.” She assured Honoka. She cupped her girlfriends face in her hands and kissed her softly. “Don’t worry.”   
  
“Right.” Honoka took a deep breath and moved to sit next to Chrom on the couch. She knew that he was doing her a favor but she couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable. Thankfully it seemed he felt just as awkward. “Ready?”   
  
“As I’ll ever be. Do you want me to turn toward you or…?”   
  
“Yeah.” Honoka waited until he angled herself toward her. She made sure Eli was ready with the camera before she leaned in and pecked his lips. She pulled away after hearing the click of Eli taking the picture. “How is it?”   
  
“Perfect. Looks like how you kissed me.” Eli said brightly as she looked at the picture she was holding. “All we need you to do now is make the announcement and be seen with Raven. That should help with the rumors.”   
  
“They’ll just be replaced with new ones.” Honoka sighed heavily at the thought. “I hope we can work this out soon. I don’t want to have to do this forever.”   
  
“You won’t.” Eli said, reassuringly rubbing Honoka’s arm. She turned to Chrom, flashing him a small smile. “Thanks for the help. We really appreciate it.”   
  
“No problem. I should get going but if you need anything else just give me a call.” Chrom said, standing up from the couch.    
  
Honoka flashed the man a smile as he passed her. She waited until she heard the click of the front door closing before she let out a sigh of relief. “I’m glad that’s over.”   
  
“Well um...now you have to go on a fake date.” Eli replied reluctantly. “Before the press conference. To show people you’re dating a guy.”   
  
Honoka gave a resigned sigh, her shoulders slumped. “I hate that I have to do this. How are you so...okay with it? I don’t…” She trailed off, shaking her head. “It doesn’t matter. When is the date?”   
  
“Tonight would be best. I’ll call Hanayo.” Eli said hesitantly. “And just so you know, I’m not okay with this at all. But I need to protect you and your career. I’ll do anything to keep you safe, Honoka.”   
  
Honoka looked down at the ground. “I don’t deserve you.”   
  
“Maybe it’s the other way around.” Eli murmured wistfully. “Please, just two dates in public. You can ‘break up with him’ after the second and the rumors will die. You can do this.”   
  
Honoka nodded in response. Her eyes closed for a moment as Eli stepped forward and kissed her gently, soft hands cupping her cheeks. It was over within seconds and Honoka felt Eli slip away from her.    
  
\----   
  
“Your face is red.” Honoka remarked as she glanced thoughtfully. “Are you sweating? And you haven’t really eaten.”   
  
“I’m nervous.” Raven admitted, his eyes fixed to the menu he was holding. “People are staring at us.”   
  
“Fans. Probably even the press.” Honoka explained, doing her best not to look around at them. She didn’t want to make it too obvious that she knew they were there. “We leaked that I would be here so the press probably made reservations to subtly take pictures.”   
  
“I’m not used to this.”   
  
“It’ll be fine. Just act natural. But um…” Honoka paused unsurely. “You should maybe hold my hand. To make this more believable. We need to give them something to talk about, right?”   
  
“Right.” Raven released a breath and put his menu down before he reached out and took Honoka’s hand atop the table. He felt her shift her hand in his to loosely tangle their fingers together. He felt his neck prickle. “I’m pretty sure your girlfriend is glaring at me right now.”   
  
Honoka’s eyes darted past Raven to Eli and Hanayo. “Don’t worry, Hanayo is too.”   
  
“Great.” Raven mumbled under his breath.    
  
“You should try to relax.” Honoka said encouragingly. She was just as uncomfortable if she was honest but she understood that he would struggle more. “Tell me something. About your day. Did you go to work?”   
  
“Um...yeah.” Raven answered, nodding his head in response. “I just finished a big case so I’m on desk duty right now. Paperwork, you know? I’m up for promotion though.”   
  
Honoka smiled as he did, relieved that he was starting to relax. “That’s great! It’s pretty nice to have such a stud for a boyfriend. My type is the law kind.” She playfully put her hand on his arm.   
  
Raven’s brow furrowed slightly as he heard several pictures being taken, people gasping around them. “Well I’d like people to mind their own business so we could actually enjoy our night.”   
  
Honoka smiled at the comment, seeing that he was picking up on her acting. She squeezed his hand to let him know he was doing it right.    
  
“HE’S DREAMY. PERFECT FOR HER.”   
  
Raven let out a sigh. He had thought it would be easier to pretend to date Honoka than it was. “So when do we have to do the um...you know, the kiss?”   
  
Honoka twitched. “Might as well do it now.” She mumbled, her gaze shifting to Eli. She noticed the blonde watching intently. “Damn it…” She turned her attention to Raven. “Just lean close and kiss me. I’ll take the lead.”   
  
Raven nodded apprehensively. Trying to look unfazed he leaned toward Honoka and pressed his lips to hers. He felt her kiss him back without hesitation, her hand going to the back of his head where her fingers sank into his hair. He counted down the seconds as the kiss went on, remembering what Eli had said about it needing to be fifteen seconds. The kiss wasn’t unpleasant but it wasn’t familiar, like kissing Hanayo was. As soon as the fifteen seconds were up he slowly pulled away.    
  
“Do you want me to drive you home?” He whispered, trying to ignore the sound of people talking around him. When Honoka didn’t reply, he touched her arm. “Honoka?”   
  
“That’d be perfect. You’re such a gentleman.” Honoka said with a small smile as she nodded her head.    
  
Raven stood with her. “You seem unfazed.”   
  
“When you have a lot of kissing scenes it’s pretty easy at this point.” Honoka answered with a slight shrug of her shoulders. As she started toward the door she felt Raven follow along next to her, his hand going to her back as his eyes darted around them. “Don’t worry. They won’t do anything. They have their story.”   
  
“Right.” Raven mumbled as he led Honoka out of the restaurant. He glanced back to see Hanayo and Eli get up to follow them.    
  
\----   
  
Honoka was relieved when Raven left and Eli stepped into the apartment. Eli had made sure that the press had dispersed before she had come up, given that they couldn’t be seen together. As the door closed, Honoka leapt toward Eli, hugging her tightly.    
  
“I really hate doing this but I want the rumors to die.” She said hurriedly. “You’re going to be at the press conference tomorrow, right?”   
  
“Of course.” Eli said softly, hugging Honoka back. She would have to stand at the back to avoid being seen but she would be there. She would never leave Honoka to face that alone. “I’ll be right there with you, I promise.”   
  
Honoka let out a relieved sigh at the answer. “That kiss…”   
  
“Didn’t mean anything. I know.” Eli replied knowingly. She had figured Honoka would feel guilty afterwards. “It was just acting. It was no different to your job.”   
  
Honoka nodded in agreement. “I feel bad for dragging Hanayo-chan and Raven-kun into this mess. He seemed uncomfortable. Was Hanayo…?”   
  
“Annoyed because she had to watch you kiss her boyfriend.” Eli said in amusement, remembering how Hanayo had gritted her teeth. “But she understands. And she still wants to help you.”   
  
Honoka nodded, biting her lower lip. Drawing back, she cupped Eli’s face in her hands and kissed her gently. She lingered for a long moment as Eli kissed her back before she slowly drew away. “Can we just go to bed?”   
  
“Yeah.” Eli whispered, grasping Honoka’s hand in her own. She couldn’t help but notice how worn out Honoka looked. She supposed the night must have been emotionally tiring for the girl. “Of course we can. I love you, Honoka.”   
  
Honoka smiled genuinely at the softly spoken words. “I love you too.”   
  
Eli squeezed Honoka’s hand and gently led her to the bedroom.    



	9. Chapter 9

Nico glanced at Hisa out of the corner of her eye, noticing that she was staring vacantly at the movie playing on the television. She didn’t seem to be watching it really despite staring at the screen intently.    
  
She hadn’t said much since she’d gotten there earlier. She hadn’t ignored Nico but she hadn’t made any attempt to start conversation either. Nico heaved a sigh and switched the TV off. “Do you want to talk about whatever is bothering you?”   
  
Hisa frowned slightly at the blunt question. “I want to talk about the Hanayo thing. And I want you to tell me the truth.”   
  
Nico looked away at the thought of talking to Hisa about Hanayo but she nodded her head. “What do you want to know?”   
  
“You used to date her, right?” Hisa asked, turning slightly toward Nico. “What was that about?”   
  
“It’s kind of similar to Honoka and Eli. But not really.” Nico grimaced slightly. She wasn’t sure how well she could explain her relationship with Hanayo. “Yes, we used to date.”   
  
“Was it serious?” Hisa asked, raising an eyebrow.    
  
Nico hesitated. “More serious than my other relationships, yeah. But that doesn’t really say much…”   
  
“Nico.” Hisa frowned. “You know what I mean. Did you love her?”   
  
Nico’s eyes darted around the room. “I was surprised when she first told me she liked me. It was when she visited Paris and we were at the top of the eiffel tower. When she first kissed me it made me feel warm...whole. It’s hard to explain. I did have a soft spot for her but I did for all of the first years. But Hanayo was so different. She was determined and less hesitant then she had been in high school.”   
  
Hisa stared at Nico. “So you did love her.”   
  
“It’s just complicated.” Nico said with a shake of her head. “Like I said it’s similar to Honoka and Eli. Hell, maybe even Honoka and Umi.”   
  
Hisa sighed, her shoulders slumping. Nico wasn’t giving her a straight answer. “What would you do if she kissed you now?”   
  
“W-WHAT?!”    
  
Hisa watched Nico’s face turn red. “You heard me.”   
  
“Um...I would be shocked since one, she has a partner and two, she would only do that if she was heavily drunk...or after smoki-”   
  
“She smoked?” Hisa’s eyes widened at the information. She hadn’t expected that. “Nevermind. So you two didn’t actually date? You just said she barely ever kissed you so…?”   
  
“Um...we did though.” Nico swallowed thickly. “She even um...took my virginity. I was pretty surprised by how dominant she was. Damn she really surprised me a lot of those times…”   
  
Hisa sighed. “So she wasn’t kidding about taking each other’s first times…”   
  
“SHE TOLD YOU THAT?” Nico cringed as Hisa answered with a nod.    
  
“She even told me she’d tell me all of your sweet spots.”   
  
“That damn little minx!” Nico cursed irritably. “Damn overconfident, sexy, stupid, hot, glasses wearing jerk.”   
  
Hisa smirked at the comment. “Sounds like you still have some unresolved issues there. Not that I’m saying you should do anything. She is marrying my brother and I’d have to kick hers and your ass if you did anything to risk that.”   
  
“Would you hate me if I confessed that sometimes I want to rip her shirt off and pin her to the wall?” Nico asked reluctantly.    
  
“A little.” Hisa confessed with a shrug of her shoulders. She sighed, shaking her head. “We’re friends, right Nico? You’re serious about wanting to be my friend at least?”   
  
“Y-Yeah.” Nico answered, stuttering slightly. “I like to think we are. Friends.”   
  
“Just...whatever you do, just don’t go after her again.” Hisa said, her tone slightly pleading. “If you don’t want to be with me, I can understand that. Just back off of Hanayo, okay?”   
  
Nico lowered her head. “Fine.” She muttered with a sigh. “I won’t go near her. You have my word.”   
  
“Thank you.” Hisa said, relief crossing her face.    
  
“Yeah.” Nico awkwardly cleared her throat. “You don’t have to worry about her.”   
  
\----   
  
Nico sighed as she opened the door to find Hanayo standing there with a bright smile and a bottle of wine in her hand. “Hanayo, you can’t keep showing up at my apartment like this.”   
  
“Why not?” Hanayo asked brightly, stepping inside. She slipped off her shoes and then her jacket. “I thought we could talk. I have something I need to tell you.”   
  
Nico numbly took the bottle of wine that was pushed into her hands. “You live hours away from me. Why are you even here?”   
  
“Because I wanted to talk to you. And I’m kind of lonely. Raven has been busy with helping Honoka and with work so he doesn’t have much time...” Hanayo’s smile slipped away when she noticed the frown on Nico’s face. “What’s wrong?”   
  
“Nothing, I just…” Nico set the wine aside on the table next to her front door. She remembered Hisa’s words and took a deep breath. “You need to find someone else.”   
  
“What?” Hanayo tilted her head. “It’s not that bad. He’s only going to be busy for the next couple of weeks and then it’s going to…”   
  
“Not him. Me.” Nico interrupted sharply. She clenched her hands into fists at her sides. “If you’re lonely you need to find someone else to spend your time with. It can’t be me. Go to Eli or Nozomi. Just someone else, damn it.”   
  
“Why? I…”   
  
“Because we’re magnets to each other!” Nico snapped angrily. “One time alone and we’ll end up in fucking BED. I can’t do this with you, Hanayo. You can’t show up just because…”   
  
“I need my best friend, Nico.” Hanayo said softly, her eyes softening with sadness. “I’m lonely and I just wanted...I wanted to talk to you and…”   
  
“I’m not risking my new relationship, Hanayo.” Nico closed her eyes, tears sliding down her cheeks. “It’s better for us to...not be friends anymore. We’re exes and that’s it.”   
  
“WE ARE FRIENDS! WE’VE BEEN FRIENDS SINCE HIGH SCHOOL!” Hanayo retorted loudly, the words hitting her like a punch to the gut. “We’re best friends!”   
  
Nico gritted her teeth. “Maki is my best friend. You’re just...we were friends. And then we were together and now we’re exes.”   
  
“Maki-chan, really?! Because if I remember correctly, Maki-chan never helped you with your career. Never encouraged you. NEVER EVEN knew what you wanted. Don’t you  _ dare _ put her before me. She only put you down in high school. It made me so angry when she called your determination gross, your confidence an annoyance. You are the one that shines brighter than all of us, even Honoka-chan. I’ve ALWAYS SEEN THAT.”   
  
Nico took a deep breath, trying to ignore the ache in her chest. “Hanayo…”   
  
“Listen, Nico-chan.” Hanayo’s voice softened and she stepped forward, taking Nico’s hands. “Look at me. Please.” She waited until Nico’s teary eyes met hers before she continued desperately. “I love you. Don’t do this. Don’t throw away our friendship, our past...everything. Our bond is deeper than all of our romantic relationships. We’ve been through so much together. The tears, the laughter, the success...we can’t throw away our link. The bond that Muse gave us. I want you in my life, Nico-chan.”   
  
“And I can’t have you in mine.” Nico drew her hands away from Hanayo’s, lowering them to her sides. “Just leave, Hanayo.”   
  
Hanayo stared speechlessly at Nico as the girl opened the front door. She opened and closed her mouth, at a loss for what to say.    
  
“ _ Hanayo _ .”   
  
“Th-That’s it?” Hanayo stuttered, tears tracking their way down her cheeks. “We’re just...done?”   
  
Nico clenched her jaw and nodded hurriedly.    
  
Hanayo numbly slipped her shoes on and took her jacket down from where she’d hung it up. She stepped out of the door and turned toward Nico. “Nico-chan, I…”   
  
Nico shut the door abruptly and leaned against it, tears streaming down her face as memories of Hanayo flooded her mind. Hanayo was right, she had always been supportive of Nico. She had always cared more than anyone else had. And now Nico had thrown it all away in a matter of minutes.    
  
\----   
  
Hisa knocked lightly on the door to Hanayo and Raven’s bedroom, glancing back at Raven who was hovering a few steps away. He was dressed in a shirt and pants, a tie hanging loose around his neck. The top buttons of his shirt were unbuttoned.    
  
“Don’t you have to be at court?” Hisa asked pointedly.    
  
“Yeah but I don’t…” Raven frowned at the closed door to his bedroom. It was silent now but he had heard Hanayo crying already that morning before Hisa had shown up. “I mean I can’t just leave her like this.”   
  
“Go. I’ve got her.” Hisa motioned for her brother to leave but he didn’t move. “Seriously, if I have to throw you out…”   
  
“Alright, alright. Just let me talk to her.” Raven stepped closer to the bedroom door. “Han? I’m going to work but I’ll be back as soon as I can get away. Um...Hisa is here to talk to you. I’ll see you later. I love you.”   
  
Hisa smirked at her brother, causing him to blush as he stepped away from the door.    
  
“Shut up. Just help her, okay?” Raven asked before he turned and walked away.    
  
Hisa heard the front door open and close, letting her know that Raven had left. She knocked at the door once more before deciding that Hanayo wasn’t going to respond to her. She sighed and let herself in. The bedroom was dark and when she flicked the light on she saw Hanayo drag the covers over her head. She walked over and tugged the blankets off of Hanayo, tossing them to the floor.    
  
“You’re acting as if someone just broke up with you.”    
  
Hanayo rubbed at her tear stained face. “That is exactly what it is.”   
  
Hisa raised an eyebrow. “Have you been dating someone behind my brother’s back?”   
  
“Oh so that’s what you think…”   
  
“I’m joking, sorry.” Hisa said awkwardly. “You know because he would never break up with you so it couldn’t be him. Bad joke. Anyway um...what happened?”   
  
Hanayo sat up in bed. “She told me to stay away from her. That we aren’t friends anymore.”   
  
Hisa’s eyes widened at hearing how broken Hanayo sounded. She figured there was only one person who could make Hanayo sound that way. “Oh, she took it seriously…”   
  
“What seriously?” Hanayo looked up frantically. “What the hell did you tell her?! WHAT the hell did you say to convince her to break up our friendship?!”   
  
“Hey, I didn’t…” Hisa took a step back as Hanayo angrily stood up. “Hey now, you know I can take you down in a second if I want to, Hanayo.”   
  
“You did this.” Hanayo said accusingly, her eyes wet with tears. “You made her do this.”   
  
“I did NOT tell her to end your friendship!” Hisa disagreed loudly.    
  
Angry tears bubbled up in Hanayo’s eyes. “But you said something to make her come to this decision! DIDN’T YOU?!”   
  
“W-Well maybe I told her to back off of you but…”   
  
“Well thanks!” Hanayo said bitterly. “Now my best friend wants nothing to do with me. Screw you, Hisa.”   
  
Hisa winced as Hanayo sank back down on the bed, burying her head in her hands. “Listen, I didn’t mean for anything like this to happen. Nico is just feeling desperate. We’ll fix this, I promise.”   
  
“Why would you want that?” Hanayo mumbled into her hands.    
  
“Because as much as I don’t like it, you two obviously care about each other.” Hisa said with a sigh. “And I want Nico surrounded by people who care about her.”   
  
Hanayo sniffled softly and looked up at Hisa. “Will you talk to her? I can’t lose her, Hisa. She’s my best friend.”   
  
Hisa nodded in response. She supposed that explained why Nico hadn’t been answering her calls for the last couple of days. “I will. In the meantime, you should talk to Raven. He’s worried about you.”   
  
“I know.” Hanayo mumbled, wiping at her tears once more. As much as her boyfriend had pleaded with her to tell him what was wrong and as much as she’d accepted the comfort he’d offered she hadn’t been able to talk to him about Nico. “I will.”   
  
\----   
  
Hanayo stood up quickly from her couch at the sound of a knock at the door. Hisa had told her to expect a visit from Nico so the knock didn’t come as a surprise. She still felt a nervous flutter in her stomach though as she slowly approached the door. She wasn’t sure what was going on. 

  
She opened the door to find Nico standing there, a nervous look on her face. “Nico-chan.” Hanayo said softly. She studied Nico’s expression for any sign that the model had been as upset as she had been. Nico looked perfect, as always, not a stray tear stain in sight. “Um...come in.”   
  
Nico stepped past Hanayo, glancing around the house. It was spacious, she noticed. Even more spacious than her apartment. “I don’t think I’ve been over here before. It’s pretty big.”   
  
Hanayo shrugged her shoulders as she closed the door behind her. “Itsuki-chan is living with us right now too, remember?”   
  
“Hisa told me this was important.” Nico said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “So what is it?”   
  
Hanayo flinched at how distant Nico was being though she supposed she should have expected that. “Nothing is going to happen. Can’t you just trust yourself around me?”   
  
“No. And neither should you.”

  
Hanayo sighed softly and shook her head. “I don’t know how to fix this, Nico-chan.”   
  
“Maybe you can’t.” Nico replied quietly, averting her eyes.    
  
“If you believe that why are you even here?” Hanayo asked, frustrated by the response. She moved closer, watching Nico closely.    
  
“Don’t. What if…?”   
  
“Itsuki is with Umi-chan tonight. And Raven is out with Hisa.” Hanayo said softly as she paused in front of Nico.    
  
Nico closed her eyes as she felt warm arms go around her waist, a head tucking into her shoulder as Hanayo hugged her. It was warm. Familiar.    
  
“Just trust me like you used to.” Hanayo whispered into Nico’s shoulder. “Even if we can’t control this. Let me hold you. I need you, Nico-chan.”   
  
Nico gritted her teeth, tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. She hated the idea of losing Hanayo as her friend but she didn’t know what else to do. Against her better judgement, she lifted her arms, gripping desperately at the back of Hanayo’s soft grey hoodie.    
  
“I miss you.” Hanayo murmured, basking in the warmth of Nico’s embrace. “I don’t want to lose this, Nico-chan.”   
  
“Will we ever be normal?” Nico whispered.    
  
“Some day…”   
  
“Damn it can we just get it over with before I freak out again? My god, we’re such a mess!”   
  
Hanayo slowly pulled away to look at Nico. “Well quite honestly we never had real closure. Maybe that’s why you think we can’t get past this.”   
  
Nico nervously bit her lip and gave a slight nod of her head. She inched slightly closer to Hanayo as if not of her own volition.    
  
Hanayo looked down, noticing how perfect Nico’s hair and makeup were, her jacket slipping down her shoulder to reveal her flawless skin. She bit her lip, sucking in a breath.    
  
Nico felt her heart race at the look on Hanayo’s face. She knew that look well.    
  
Hanayo reached forward, her hand gently caressing Nico’s cheek before trailing down to her shoulder. She gently leaned in, pressing her lips to Nico’s and felt the grip at her back tighten briefly before Nico kissed her back.    
  
Hanayo shifted her free hand to Nico’s waist, gently drawing her closer to her. She had almost forgotten how good it felt to kiss Nico. How right it felt. She felt Nico’s hand move up, fingers sliding into her hair to tug her closer.    
  
Nico felt Hanayo press her backwards and a moment later her back gently hit the door. Hanayo’s lips moved down to her exposed shoulder and Nico let out a husky moan she’d been holding for some time. She felt hands drag her jacket down and after a second it slid off to the floor. Her own hands went to Hanayo’s hoodie and she began to tug it up. She didn’t like being the only one exposed. She needed to feel the warm skin underneath.    
  
Hanayo gasped softly as cool fingers found her warm skin. She looked up, her eyes meeting Nico’s. Their breathing was heavy between them and Hanayo could see that Nico’s eyes were glazed over. She moved back to Nico, kissing her once more, just briefly before she pulled away.    
  
“Enough closure for you?” She asked hoarsely.    
  
Nico sank down, her face flushed and her lips swollen, trying to gather her jacket. “M-Maybe a little bit more. Fuck, I forgot how good of a kisser you are…” She rose back to her feet, trying to pull her jacket back on. Her hands were shaking too much though.    
  
Hanayo took the jacket. “I never forgot how needy you can get…”   
  
“Sh-Shut up.” Nico felt her face flush more than it already was.    
  
“Doesn’t mean it isn’t hot.” Hanayo whispered huskily. “It’s pretty addicting actually…”   
  
“We really are going to end up in the damn bedroom…”   
  
“Yes, but it’s not what you think it is.” Hanayo picked up the weakened model, fully aware that Nico was struggling. She felt Nico’s arms go around her neck and carried her to the bedroom where she placed her down on the freshly made bed.    
  
Hanayo began to gently pull off Nico’s over the shoulder sleeveless black top, kissing gently at the exposed skin.    
  
“What are you doing?!” Nico exclaimed.    
  
“Relax. Trust me.” Hanayo soothed gently, casting the shirt aside. “I’m not going to try anything, I promise.”   
  
“Seems like you’re trying a lot.” Nico mumbled under her breath though she allowed Hanayo to gently undress her to her panties and bra. She sighed softly as Hanayo’s hands swept over her back, gently rubbing her skin. She reached up to the draw strings of Hanayo’s hoodie and gave a gentle tug. “Take this off.”   
  
Hanayo sat up and crossed her arms in front of her to grip the hem of her hoodie. She silently tugged it off, casting it aside to the pile of clothes forming on the floor. When Nico stared at her expectantly she stripped down to her underwear too.    
  
Hanayo pulled Nico closer to her as she lay down, pressing a gentle kiss to the shoulder. “You really need to relax. Your body was never this tense.”   
  
“I haven’t done it in a while. I’ve been doing overtime at the agency, because of the TV drama. I am now taking nightly photo shoots and I don’t get home until ten or eleven.” Nico confesses quietly.     
  
Hanayo gently threw a leg over Nico, her hand still caressing Nico’s back. “I can tell. Have you been having trouble sleeping?”   
  
“Yes. Have you?”   
  
“Yes.”   
  
“I-I’m so sorry, Hanayo.” Nico pressed herself close to Hanayo’s chest. “You are my best friend and I was about to cast you aside because I’m afraid I’ll fall for you again. I’m so sorry.”   
  
“Hey, who can resist me?” Hanayo smiled sadly. “But I understand. I never got over you. I mean the reason we ended it was because I thought it would be good for both of us. I never wanted to do that. I wish we could turn back time. It could be so much simpler. And...Nico-chan would never have went through so much heartbreak.”   
  
“We can’t.” Nico said softly. “You’re engaged. And I’m...with someone else.”   
  
“I know. You don’t have to remind me.” Hanayo said softly. She gently brushed away a stand of hair stuck to Nico’s tear stained cheeks. “I still feel that way though.”   
  
Nico looked up in surprise and felt her heart warm up at the secret declaration. It had been a long time she felt so loved. So needed. She couldn’t stop herself as she leaned up and and pressed her lips gently to Hanayo's    
  
Hanayo closer her eyes at the touch of Nico’s lips to her own and didn’t hesitate to kiss back. It hadn’t crossed her mind that it would happen again so soon but she couldn’t bring herself to pull away. She didn’t want to.    
  
Nico pushed closer to Hanayo, gripping at the strains of her brown hair. “I still love you.” She said breathlessly as she pulled away from the kiss. “I don’t know how to stop.”   
  
Hanayo’s heart soared at the declaration and then sank. She looked down between them, a lump forming in her throat.    
  
“One night.” Hanayo whispered, causing Nico to look up. “One night were we never broke up. One night where we turned back time.”   
  
Nico’s heart pounded but she nodded gently, pressing herself close to Hanayo’s skin. “I love you. I love you. I love you so much.”   
  
“I love you too.” Hanayo whispered back, holding Nico closer to her. “So much it hurts not being able to...show you.”   
  
Nico nodded in agreement with the comment. Not being able to express her feelings for Hanayo hurt her too. “I just want to…”   
  
Hanayo leaned in and kissed Nico deeply, pressing her back onto the bed. She crawled over onto her, her lips straying to Nico’s neck. At least she could mark her one last time.   
  
Nico gasped softly, gripping Hanayo’s hips as she tilted her head to let Hanayo have more access. Her hands slipped down, running over Hanayo’s thighs to her knees and then back up again. “Hanayo…”   
  
“Sorry.” Hanayo kissed Nico gently. “I couldn’t resist.”   
  
Nico looked up, blushing. “I didn’t tell you to stop.”   
  
Hanayo looked surprised for a moment before she grinned and leaned down to continue what she was doing.    
  
Nico gripped at Hanayo’s back, nails raking down soft skin, leaving red marks in their wake as she arched into Hanayo’s touch.    
  
\-----

  
Honoka stepped close to Nico, gaping over her shoulder at the bruise she could see on her neck in the mirror. “Wow, Nico-chan. I know we tease you about rough sex but holy shit.”   
  
Nico scowled, covering the mark with her hand. “Shut it. There was no sex.”   
  
“Oh?” Honoka raised an eyebrow in response. “Did you still…?”   
  
Nico felt her face flood with warmth as she blushed. “Yes. Biting turns me on...just shut up!”   
  
“Alright, alright.” Honoka laughed at the order. “Are you at least going to tell me who it was with? Was it that girl you’ve been spending time with? Um...Hina-chan?”   
  
“Hisa.” Nico corrected with a roll of her eyes. “And no, it wasn’t.”   
  
Honoka hummed thoughtfully. “So you were wearing clothes?”   
  
“No. I was in my bra and panties.” Nico mumbled, a little bit embarrassed about the fact that she was having the conversation with Honoka. “What’s with all of the questions anyway?”   
  
Honoka shrugged her shoulders. “I’m living vicariously through you.”   
  
Nico snorted in amusement. “Eli not providing?”   
  
“We’ve been busy.” Honoka replied simply, shrugging her shoulders. “And we’re being careful right now.”   
  
“Don't you have a press conference soon?” Nico asked, turning in her seat to look at Honoka properly.    
  
Honoka grimaced at the thought. “Yeah, I do.” She answered with a sigh. “Eli-senpai’s going to be there.”   
  
“Is that a good idea?” Nico asked skeptically. “If someone sees the two of you together…”   
  
“Nobody will. She’ll be right at the back.” Honoka said with a shake of her head. “Like I said we’re being careful right now. We’re not even letting anyone see us in public until this thing with Raven-kun is over.”   
  
“You’ll do fine.”   
  
“I was actually coming to ask you…” Honoka hesitated for a moment, biting her lip. “Can you be there with me? Since we’re co-workers? I’d like to have someone else besides my agent at the table. Please?”   
  
Nico frowned. “Won’t Raven be there too?”   
  
“He’s gonna be in the crowds. He’ll get a little spotlight and that’s it. I think Hanayo’s going to be there too.”   
  
Nico twitched at the mention of Hanayo’s name. “Fine. I’ll be your...anchor or whatever. But you owe me!”   
  
“Of course!” Honoka smiled brightly and leaned down to give Nico a tight hug before she straightened up. “Do you want to go together? It’s just going to be in one of the conference rooms downstairs.”   
  
“Sure. Just give me a minute to cover this up.” Nico replied before she turned back to the mirror to start covering up the mark Hanayo had made.    
  
“We don’t have time!”   
  
“Wha..?!” Nico barely had time to grab the bandana from her dresser before she was yanked out of her seat.    
  
\----   
  
Honoka took a deep breath before she started talking. “So as you all know...there have been some awful rumors floating around lately. The truth is…” She looked to Raven who was waiting nervously with Hanayo. “The photo that has been cycling throughout the paparazzi is fake. So fans and critics can rest assured. I’m not in that kind of relationship with another woman. In fact, I have a boyfriend who I’ve been trying to keep a secret but came out yesterday. To fans, I’m sorry...um…”   
  
“Kousaka-san, how do you know the photo is fake? Was it forged?!”   
  
“Who was the young man you’ve been spotted with?!”   
  
“U-Um…” Honoka felt a flash of panic. “T-Too many questions. Please, one at a time…”   
  
Nico growled, moving in front of Honoka. “She said one at a time!”   
  
Honoka clung to Nico’s shoulder, fidgeting with the model’s bandana.    
  
“Are any of your friends homosexual, Kousaka-san?”   
  
Nico moved forward, her fist clenched only for the bandana Honoka had been holding onto to fall off. Camera flashes erupted around them.    
  
In the audience, Hanayo’s eyes widened in fear. They darted to Raven who looked confused. She could only hope that Hisa wasn’t there.    
  
“YAZAWA-SAN, DO YOU HAVE A SECRET BOYFRIEND? IS THAT A LOVE BITE?”   
  
“It looks painful. So the rumors are true, you like it…?”   
  
“ANY MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT YAZAWA-SAN WILL GO TO ME!” Kei stepped forward out of the shadows. She lowered her voice to address Honoka and Nico. “In the back now.”   
  
Honoka nodded numbly and together with Nico she began to walk to the back.     
  
“Yazawa-san, is it true that in France you experimented with one of the female models?”   
  
Nico froze at the question.    
  
Hanayo backed away, her heart pounding.    
  
“What about the girl you were rumored to be dating until you were twenty four?”   
  
“That is ENOUGH! This press conference is over!” Kei yelled angrily. “Any more questions will be reported to security.”   
  
“Come on, Nico-chan.” Honoka said gently, gripping Nico’s arm. She quickly led Nico away, into the back.    
  
“Come on.” Raven reached out and grabbed Hanayo’s hand, making a break for the stage with her. He noticed out of the corner of his eye, Kei nodded for security to let them pass. He nodded at her on the way past in gratitude and tugged Hanayo into the back room where they found Nico pacing with her head in her hands, Honoka staring silently at her.    
  
“Nico-chan, I’m so sorry.” Honoka cried softly.    
  
“You’re fine, now I’m ruined!” Nico exclaimed tearfully. “It was already rumored that I’m not straight in Europe. I thought I killed it all since coming back to Japan. I thought I was being careful…” She looked up to see Hanayo and Raven standing nearby and rushed forward, throwing her arms around Hanayo who stumbled back a couple of steps. “I had to sacrifice everything to kill it the first time. I don’t want to be alone forever.”   
  
At a loss for what to do to help, Raven walked over to Honoka who was clearly distraught about what she’d accidentally done. He placed a hand lightly on her shoulder, trying to soothe her.    
  
Hanayo hugged Nico back but she didn’t know what to say either. She couldn’t stand to see Nico in tears. She gently kissed Nico’s temple just as Eli burst into the room through the side door.    
  
“Honoka.” Eli hurried over to Honoka, grasping her arms. “What’s wrong? What happened?” She glanced at Nico, seeing that she was in tears too. “Did…?”   
  
“It’s my fault.” Honoka said tearfully. “I was holding onto Nico-chan and…”   
  
“It wasn’t your fault.” Eli frowned, drawing Honoka close to her. She looked at Nico’s neck, seeing the mark now that she was closer. “Nico, come over here and rest next to Honoka. “Hanayo, can I talk to you? I need some advice? Raven…”   
  
“I’ll stay with them.” Raven said before Eli could finish what she was saying.    
  
Eli nodded and walked over to Hanayo, trading places with Nico. “Did you sleep with her?”   
  
“No.” Hanayo answered, averting her eyes. “Well yes. If you mean slept with as in slept in the same be-”   
  
“Cut the crap, Hanayo.” Eli growled irritably. “Did you do anything sexual with Nico?”   
  
“Kinda?” Hanayo sighed heavily. “It was romantic if anything…”   
  
“Give me the bases.”   
  
“No touching but there was moving, we were in our...undergarments. But it was mostly emotional. Really emotional.”   
  
Eli sighed. “Is that all?”   
  
“Fine. Necking and scratching. That’s all.” Hanayo said with a roll of her eyes. She didn’t see why Eli was being persistent. “It doesn’t matter. It was the last time. Just leave it alone.”   
  
“Why did it even need to happen?”   
  
“Because we never had closure!” Hanayo whisper yelled in annoyance. “And I still love her, okay? I just needed her to know. She shouldn’t be in the dark about that. She shouldn’t think nobody loved her when I sacrificed our relationship because I loved her so much. At least now she can move forward with Hisa even if it’s going to be slow.”   
  
“So that’s it? It’s finished between the two of you?”   
  
“Yes…”   
  
“Bullshit.” Eli said knowingly. “That’s what I thought about me and Honoka.”   
  
“We’re not you and Honoka. We’re nothing like the two of you.”   
  
“Bullshit two. You are totally me and Honoka.” Eli disagreed sharply. “You even have your own Umi and Nozom…”   
  
“Shut up!” Hanayo hissed, her face turning red with anger. “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, Eli. We’re nothing like the two of you. I’m moving on, I’m getting married. And Nico’s going to move on with Hisa.   
  
“Don’t lie to yourself. Be honest, what would you feel if you see her all snuggled up with Hisa? Will it make your blood boil if Hisa nuzzled her ear…?”   
  
Hanayo’s eye twitched. “Eli, stop.”   
  
“Answer me.”   
  
“I would be happy...happy...fine. FINE. I WOULD WANT TO RIP HER DAMN HEAD OFF, OKAY?!” Hanayo growled angrily. “I was even pissed off with Kotori-chan. It wasn’t just Mak-chan I was angry at. I’m...damn it! I-I don’t want to see her with anyone else. But I’m with someone and she’s...there’s no chance in hell for us to get back together and it’s never going to go back to normal for us. Maybe she was right, maybe we should just stay away from each other.”   
  
“You’ll only hurt he-”   
  
“I KNOW THAT!” Hanayo yelled, drawing the attention of the three across the room. She quickly lowered her voice. “There’s nothing else I can do. Just leave it alone, Eli. Go and check on your own girlfriend.”   
  
As Hanayo began to move past, Eli grabbed the front of her shirt. “You are not going to hurt her after what just happened. You two need to control it. Don’t screw up your relationships like me and Honoka.”   
  
Hanayo nodded grimly and waited for Eli to release her.    
  
Nico looked up, her eyes still filled with tears as Hanayo approached. She jumped up and hugged Hanayo fiercely once more.    
  
Hisa walked in a moment later, catching Hanayo’s eye. Nico didn’t draw away, something that Hanayo found oddly reassuring.    
  
“I um...saw the press conference.” Hisa said awkwardly. She looked at Nico’s neck, noticing the mark there and swallowed thickly. “Are you...okay, Nico?”   
  
Nico nodded silently.    
  
“Right…” Hisa glanced briefly around the room. “Um...well if you need me later, you can call me. My phone will be on.”   
  
Nico hummed in acknowledgement.    
  
Hisa gritted her teeth and turned, heading for the door only for Raven to catch up with her when she was a couple of steps from it. He lightly grabbed her arm.    
  
“Hey, where are you going?”   
  
“To drink.”   
  
“What? But Nico needs you here, she…”   
  
“You’re such an idiot sometimes.” Hisa shrugged her brother’s hand off of her arm. “Are you coming with me or what?”   
  
Raven hesitated, glancing back at the others before he finally relented, giving a short nod. “Fine.”   
  
Eli glared at Hanayo as Hisa and Raven left the room. “Seriously?”   
  
“Nothing’s going to happen.” Hanayo hissed back, lightly rubbing Nico’s back.    
  
\----

  
Eli heard the door to the bathroom open and close and looked up at the doorway to the bedroom. A moment later, Honoka appeared, towel drying her hair. She was clad in her own pajamas, having brought a fair share of her clothes from the apartment she used to share with Umi.    
  
“Do you feel better?” Eli asked with a small smile as Honoka moved over to her. She shuffled back to let Honoka sink onto the bed in front of her.    
  
“I don’t know.” Honoka mumbled, setting the towel down. “I’ve been thinking a lot.”   
  
“What about?” Eli swept Honoka’s hair to the side and pressed a gentle kiss to her neck, her eyes closing.    
  
“Being an out homosexual actress. The USA have a lot of them…”   
  
Eli paused with her lips to Honoka’s neck for a moment before she slowly drew away. “We’re in Japan. Hate crime isn’t as tightly watched as in the USA, Honoka. We’re on the verge of helping you cover this up. I know it’s not ideal but we can do this. We’re almost there.”   
  
“What if I don’t want to be there?” Honoka turned to face Eli, a frown on her face. “What if I want people to know that I’m dating you? What if I want to be with you out in the open? No secrets.”   
  
Eli nervously averted her eyes. “We can’t right now.”   
  
“Why not?!”   
  
“Because of your career. Because of MY career.” Eli answered hurriedly, her eyes wide. “It’s just not the right time for us to be out right now, Honoka. As a realist, I feel like we need to give it some time. Maybe when all of Tokyo, not just a few districts allow gay marriage.”   
  
Honoka’s shoulders slumped. “I want more than this though. I want...marriage and commitment. I don’t want to wait.”   
  
“I feel the same way.” Eli lightly rubbed Honoka’s shoulder. “But we have to wait, Honoka. Unless we move to Canada or England.”   
  
“Okay.” Honoka sighed softly. “I’ll wait. As long as you still want me.”   
  
“Always. I’ll never stop.” Eli kissed Honoka softly before pulling back to flash her girlfriend a warm smile. 

\----   
  
“There better be a good reason you called me here.” Hisa growled as she pushed past Hanayo into the house.    
  
“Nothing happened.”   
  
“Bullshit!”   
  
“It’s the last time, I promise!” Hanayo quickly shut the door behind her. “Just listen to me. Playing it slow is not something Nico-chan likes. You need to take action with her. She hates this pace, she wants to be loved Hisa. You can’t hesitate with her. Either go for it or break it before she feels you don’t want to touch her.”   
  
Hisa stared at Hanayo. “You really don’t like that you’re telling me this.”   
  
“Are you kidding? I hate myself for giving you real advice. But I want her happy even if I don’t want to see her with someone else.” Hanayo said sincerely. “Look...I’m not going to be a problem, okay? I’ll keep my distance.”   
  
“How do I know you’re telling the truth?” Hisa asked suspiciously. “Besides then she’ll just act like you’ve broken up with her! I already saw your behavior after she broke up your friendship!”   
  
“Well I have to try something!” Hanayo exclaimed loudly. “If I know it’s the best thing for Nico-chan, I can do it. It won’t be the same for her as last time. She won’t be in unhealthy relationships, she’ll have you.”   
  
Hisa scoffed and shook her head. “So you’re just going to give up your best friend? Come on...be honest with me. If you weren’t with Raven would you be doing this? Or would you be…?”   
  
“If I wasn’t with Raven I wouldn’t be giving up.” Hanayo said, a hint of defiance filtering into her voice. “But I can’t change that I am. I just wish I had never broken up with Nico-chan in the first place.”   
  
Hisa stared at Hanayo for a long moment before she sighed. “What are you going to do?”   
  
“I already told you. Nico-chan is yours.” Hanayo answered, looking away from Hisa. “Just go to her and act like you want her. She already likes you so just...show her you like her back.”   
  
Hisa groaned. “What if I already screwed it up? She probably told you that she thinks I don’t want her.”   
  
“So prove her wrong.” Hanayo gritted her teeth. She hated that she was helping Hisa. “That will be how you solidify your relationship. Just go. Now.”   
  
Hisa frowned and walked past Hanayo, letting herself out.    
  
“Fuck.” Hanayo muttered, tears stinging at her eyes. She clenched her hands into fists, her fingernails digging into her palms.    
  
\----   
  
“Hey boss when is the wedding to the doc?”   
  
Kotori glanced up from her phone, narrowing her eyes at Hibiki. “What?”   
  
“When is the…”   
  
“We’re not getting married.” Kotori said, rolling her eyes as she set the phone down at her side. Next to her, she heard Maki choke on her coffee.    
  
“Did I hear someone say wedding?” Yume asked, poking her head around the doorway of the kitchen.    
  
“NO!” Kotori yelled in exasperation. “WE ARE NOT GETTING MARRIED! Mom, I’m only twenty seven, damn it!”   
  
“Fine, fine.” Yume sighed and went back to what she was doing in the kitchen.    
  
“What? Ever?” Maki prompted, moving slightly closer to Kotori. “You wouldn’t ever want to?”   
  
“I don’t know. Maybe. Not right now though.” Kotori answered thoughtfully. “It’s not like we even can right now.”   
  
Maki nodded silently at the observation though she was a little bit disappointed. She leaned back in her seat, going back to sipping at her coffee. She watched intently as Kotori went back to browsing through her phone. She couldn’t help but notice a flicker of sadness on Kotori’s face.    
  
“Rin.” Maki stood up suddenly from the couch. “Can I talk to you in the kitchen, please?”   
  
“My mom’s in the kitchen.” Kotori gently reminded Maki while Rin groaned and got up from where she’d been sitting with Hibiki.    
  
“Bedroom then.” Maki smiled at Kotori but hastened out of the room to the bedroom. She heard Rin following her and turned in time to see the girl close the door.    
  
“Will you come ring shopping with me?” Maki blurted out before Rin could ask her what was wrong.    
  
Rin looked taken aback for a moment before she raised an eyebrow at Maki. “Even though your girlfriend just told you she doesn’t want to get married?”   
  
“She didn’t mean it.”   
  
“She seemed pretty certain of it.” Rin replied skeptically.    
  
“It was just that Yume-san has been so forward about that lately. Kotori was at her boiling point.” Maki reasoned, shaking her head. “Maybe you could buy something for Hibiki? Maybe a bracelet or a necklace?”   
  
“N-Necklace is way too forward.”   
  
Maki tilted her head. “Don’t you like her?”   
  
“Shut up, nya!” Rin blushed, crossing her arms defensively in front of her chest. “A-Anyway, what are you going to do if Kotori-chan says no?”   
  
Maki paused for a moment, frowning at the thought. Finally she shrugged. “What can I do? I’m not going to break up with her if that’s what you mean. It’ll hurt but I’ll manage.”   
  
  
  
\----   
  
Hanayo let out a slow breath, trying to push down the rising emotion in her chest. She couldn’t let herself get emotional over this. She opened her eyes and knocked lightly on Nico’s door. There was a moment of silent before the door opened.   
  
“Hanayo.” Nico said in surprise.    
  
“Hey.” Hanayo said with a small smile. “Can I come in? I um...need to talk to you about something. Hisa isn’t here, is she?”   
  
“No, I haven’t seen her yet.” Nico stepped out of the way to let Hanayo pass before she closed the door. She followed Hanayo to the couch. “Is this about what happened between us? I hope it didn’t cause any trouble for you and Raven.”   
  
“It didn’t, don’t worry. Are you feeling better?”   
  
Nico nodded as she sat down next to Hanayo. “Kei threatened to burn the reporter’s pictures. So that’s been fixed, hopefully.”   
  
“Good.” Hanayo said softly, looking down at her lap. “I um...spoke to Hisa earlier today. You know, you can trust me when I tell you she’s falling for you. You should trust that she is.”   
  
Nico looked up, her brow furrowed. “She keeps telling me we’re friends. She never says I’m her girlfriend or anything. It makes me feel I’m in the same thing with her as I was with Kotori. We barely kiss and when I want to go further she pushes me away. I already told you how I feel about it. How are you so sure that she wants to be with me? She told me herself she’s not familiar with relationships besides...flings.”   
  
“She’s just nervous.” Hanayo said softly. “She doesn’t want to hurt you. And she doesn’t want to be hurt either. But it’s going to get better, I…”

  
“If she doesn’t want to hurt me she should just take me already!” Nico snapped. “I’ve been giving her so many hints and openings!”   
  
“W-What kind of openings? Are you too forward? Or…?” Hanayo gasped as Nico grabbed her arm, pulling her forward so that she fell on top of her, their lips meeting in mid fall.    
  
“I need you, Hanayo-chan.” Nico whispers between their kiss.    
  
“What is wrong with Hisa? How would she not take you? That’s like your secret seductive move. It would make anyone. It’s making me...gah.” Hanayo pushed herself to her feet and moved to the other end of the couch. “We really need to talk.”   
  
Nico pushed herself back up into a sitting position. “What about?”   
  
“I have to tell you something.” Hanayo anxiously wiped her clammy hands on her blue jeans. “About me. I’m um...I’m moving away. Soon.”   
  
“Moving...away?” Nico cautiously asked, tilting her head. “Where to?”   
  
“Further outside of Tokyo. To Kumamoto.”   
  
“Isn’t that parallel to Tokyo and really, really far? Even further than Kyoto?” Nico frowned.    
  
“Yes.” Hanayo answered softly.    
  
“Is it because of me-”   
  
“No.” Hanayo lied, quickly shaking her head. “No, of course not. Don’t blame yourself for anything ever again? You hear me?”   
  
Nico nodded shakily. “We won’t get to see each other much anymore. If you’re moving…”   
  
“I know.” Hanayo whispered. She swallowed against the lump in her throat. “Maybe I could visit. For Christmas or something. My family still lives in Tokyo.”   
  
Nico took a shuddering breath. “I know this may be stupid or reckless but...can we have one more night together? I don’t want to be alone after hearing that.”   
  
Hanayo squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. “I’m sorry, Nico-chan. I can’t. We have to...I have to move on. I’m sorry.” She moved toward Nico and cupped the model’s face in her hands, kissing her gently. She felt Nico kiss her back, hands grasping the back of her jacket. “I will always love you, Nico.”   
  
Nico grasped at Hanayo’s shirt as she pulled back. “Why are you saying that like it’s the last time we’ll see each other? When are you leaving?”   
  
“Not yet.” Hanayo soothed gently. She pressed her forehead to Nico’s. “I have to go, I have...I have a date. I’ll see you later, Nico-chan.”   
  
She pulled away, listening to Nico choke back a sob as she made her way to the door. She opened it, finding Hisa about to knock. “It’s over. Pick up the pieces. Please. And just take the chance. Don’t hold back. Make love to her, she needs you.”   
  
“What about…?” Hisa noticed the tears in Hanayo’s eyes and was about to ask if she was okay when Hanayo pushed past her, running off down the corridor.    
  
“Hanayo, don’t leave me!”   
  
Hisa walked into the apartment in time to see Nico stand up, tears spilling down her cheeks. Their eyes met for a moment.    
  
“His-”   
  
Hisa moved forward and kissed Nico, pushing her down to her back on the couch as she moved on top of her. She was going to do as Hanayo has asked, she was going to make Nico feel loved, like she deserved.    
  
\----   
  
Nico padded into the kitchen, yawning sleepily. She had overslept by a good few hours only to be woken by the smell off cooking. It wasn’t exactly unusual, given that she had given Hisa her key to let herself in whenever she wanted.    
  
“I see you broke into my apartment again.” Nico teased as she walked into the kitchen. The smell of coffee hit her and she inhaled deeply.  “You’re making me breakfast?”   
  
“Not really. I’m making eggs.” Hisa said with a shrug of her shoulders. “That’s all I can really cook.”   
  
Nico walked over to Hisa, leaning up on her tiptoes to look over her shoulder. She lightly curled her arm around Hisa’s waist only for the redhead to let out a nervous laugh and slip away. “Nico, c-come on...I’m cooking.”   
  
Nico frowned slightly as Hisa set the pan aside and stepped even further away from her. “Did I do something wrong?”   
  
“No!” Hisa said quickly, rubbing the back of her neck. “It’s just...don’t you think we’re moving a bit too fast?”   
  
“Huh?!” Nico’s eyes widened in surprise. “You’re the one who...d-did you only do that for me?!”   
  
Hisa bit her lip, averting her eyes for a moment. She didn’t want to mention the person who told her to do what she’d done.    
  
Nico took Hisa’s silence as being an agreement. “Am I really that forceful? I know I’ve been pressuring and...damn, this is...I-I don’t want to hurt you like I did Kotori. I thought you wanted it but…”   
  
“Nico, please calm down. I just…”   
  
“No. I-I’m a monster. I-I just can’t...control myself. I just want someone to see me...pay attention to me like...ugh, I’m such an idiot!” Nico exclaimed loudly, clearly upset with herself. “I should have seen you weren’t ready when we got to the bedroom. I-I want this to work. I just...hate this pace!”   
  
“I wanted to rush!” Hisa interjected quickly. She didn’t want Nico to feel guilty. “I wanted it. If I hadn’t wanted it, I wouldn’t have started it, would I? I don’t do things because I think it’s what other people would want. You should know that about me by now. I like you, Nico. But I wouldn’t sleep with you just to make you feel better. Trust me.”   
  
Nico placed a hand on her chest, trying to calm herself. “B-But you told me you wanted to take things slowly and I pressured you into…”   
  
“I was just...being an idiot.” Hisa said with a roll of her eyes. She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “I thought that maybe if we waited, it would be...better or something. I don’t know. It was just stupid.”   
  
“You made me agonize over my behavior, my friendship with Hanayo because of a stupid idea you had?!” Nico exclaimed loudly. “LIAR!”   
  
“Nico, you need to just...just calm down, okay?” Hisa sighed heavily, glancing to the doorway.    
  
“Calm...IS THIS ALL A FUCKING GAME TO YOU?!”   
  
“NO!” Hisa raised her voice along with Nico’s. She clenched her fist at her side, her nails digging into her palms. “Of COURSE it’s not a game! I like you, Nico. I really  _ really _ like you. That’s what I wanted to take things slow. I wanted to take the time to get to know you. I wanted us to really know each other before we jumped into bed. You said that everyone else had just wanted you for sex and I wanted to show you that I wanted you for more than that. Yes, you’re...beautiful, hot, sexy...whatever the hell you want to call it. I’m NOT blind. But I wanted more than just sex. But all you wanted was to jump into bed with me.”   
  
“So I DID…”   
  
“I’m not...I’m not saying that!” Hisa exclaimed in frustration, sliding her fingers into her hair. “I’m just saying, I...I don’t think you like me. You like me for my body. You want me because of what I can...do for you but you don’t really like me. Do you?”   
  
Nico stared at Hisa speechlessly. “H-How can you say that?”   
  
“Because it’s always the same. You’re not the only one of us who’s had bad relationships in the past. But you wouldn’t know that because you didn’t ask.” Hisa sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.    
  
“I do like you! Are you seriously saying I just want sex?! SERIOUSLY!?” Nico finally snapped out of her daze. “Do you want to know what sex means to me? It’s the only time I can actually bare myself to my partner. For them to KNOW even though I’m dedicated to my job, I still want them to be the only one to see me. I never had sex with Kotori. Nor Adele!”   
  
“You had sex with Hanayo!”   
  
“SHE made love to me!” Nico snapped angrily. “She was my girlfriend for over three years. Our relationship was NOTHING like any of the ones I’ve had lately. She made me HAPPY! She’d always encourage me, while I encouraged her. She saved my career!”   
  
Hisa shook her head and looked down at the floor as Nico trailed off in tears. “Nico, I just wanted us to…”   
  
“She loved me.” Nico continued, her voice thick with emotion. “She loved me. NOT liked. Loved. And I was…” She shook her head and crumbled to the floor, sobbing into her hands. “I loved her.”   
  
Hisa took a shuddering breath. It hurt to see Nico in so much pain but she was hurting too. “If you loved her so much you’d have done more to keep her, wouldn’t you?”   
  
Nico only seemed to sob harder at the softly spoken accusation. “She’s moving. I’m going to have to be seperated from her again. Why do the gods hate me so much?”   
  
Hisa gritted her teeth and shook her head in disdain. She didn’t want to say anything she regretted. “I’ll get my stuff out of here. I think I have a few clothes lying around.”   
  
Nico’s eyes darted up to Hisa. “You’re just leaving? I need my job for my family. Wouldn’t you do the same for yours? We both knew the rumors had to be killed even though I begged her not to go back to Japan.”   
  
“Sometimes you have to take control of your own life, Nico-san.” Hisa replied coolly despite the ache in her chest. “Even if you have to follow the girl you love to the airport, huh?”   
  
Nico’s eyes, laced with tears widened at the cold accusation. “Hisa…don’t taunt me. You know damn well I can’t do that. I won’t, I-I…”   
  
“Good.” Hisa said through gritted teeth, her own eyes prickling with tears. “You should let her move on. Let her be happy, Nico-san. Don’t keep her from getting on that plane. If you really love her.”   
  
Nico watched as Hisa turned and walked away from her. She leaned forward, crying softly into her hands. Hisa was right. Following Hanayo would be a terrible idea. She couldn’t help that she wanted to though.    
  
\----   
  
“Have you finished packing up the bedroom yet?!”   
  
“Not yet!” Raven called back to Hanayo, looking toward the bedroom door. “Give me an hour!”   
  
There was silence for a moment and Raven could practically hear Hanayo’s exasperated sigh before she responded. “I’ll finish up the kitchen!”   
  
“Okay!” Raven yelled back as he went back to what he was doing. He taped up the box he was finished with and went to the next, moving to Hanayo’s bedside table. Without thinking about it he began to empty the drawer into the box, barely registering what he was picking up. He reached for a pack of tissues which he assumed were the last item in the drawer but felt his knuckles brush against something else. Frowning to himself, he reached back into the drawer and pulled out a small velvet box.    
  
“A ring?” He murmured to himself. He glanced briefly toward the door before he slowly opened the box up. His eyes widened at the sight of the golden ring in the box. He brushed his thumb against the three diamonds on the left aside. Three Rubies sat in the centre, the middle Ruby a little bigger than the others. To the right sat three more diamonds. He carefully took the ring out of the box to examine it more closely, catching sight of the inscription on the inside of the ring. “ _ Your smile makes my day shine, be my only happiness and I’ll be yours.” _ _   
_ _   
_ Raven sucked in a sharp breath. It was an engagement ring. “It was that serious before me. How long did they go out…?”   
  
As if in response to his question he noticed a receipt tucked into the lid of the small box. He placed the ring back inside and checked the receipt. The ring was purchased the year her had met her, when she was twenty one.    
  
He put the ring back quickly, placing it in the box with everything else. He hurriedly taped it shut. He stared at the box for a long moment before he went back to packing everything else up.    



	10. Chapter 10

Hanayo exhaled in annoyance as she turned onto her right side. She had been tossing and turning for the past hour or so and she couldn’t doze off, as hard as she tried. Her eyes focused on an open box at the opposite side of the room. They hadn’t finished packing yet and wouldn’t be until they packed away their clothes in three days time, in preparation for the move in four days time. They’d packed everything that wasn’t essential though, to get a good head start.    
  
Soon enough she would be leaving everything she’d known for the past couple of years behind. Not Raven but Nico. And her home. The thought that maybe the two things weren’t so different occurred to her and she buried her face in her pillow with an annoyed growl. She couldn’t think things like that.    
  
She was so lost in her own thoughts that when the phone rang she flinched in alarm. It was only when she sat up that she realized that the ringing was a skype call. She picked up her phone and switched the lamp on.    
  
Her heart sank when she saw Nico’s name on the screen but almost of it’s own volition her thumb swiped across the screen to accept the call.   
  
Nico appeared on her phone screen, wearing a hunter green hoodie. Hanayo recognized it as a hoodie Nico had taken from her. “Nico-chan. Hi. I didn’t expect you to call. It’s...late.”   
  
“I know. I’m sorry.” Nico said with a slight wince.    
  
“It’s fine. I was just thinking about you anyway.” Hanayo said, averting her eyes briefly from the screen of her phone. “So uh...what happened when I left?”   
  
“When you...you planned that didn’t you?!”   
  
“I-I...answer the question.” Hanayo replied, shaking her head. “So what happened?”   
  
“Hisa and I had sex.” Nico answered simply.    
  
Hanayo’s hands twitched. “That’s it?”   
  
“Yeah?” Nico asked in confusion. “What else would you call it?”   
  
Hanayo frownd. They would usually call it making love when it was them. “Was it good? It was better than when we...you know, right?”   
  
“It was different.” Nico said honestly. She noticed a flash of disappointment cross Hanayo’s face. “She was more gentle than I thought she would be. She was hesitant but I felt her feelings even if she was still hesitant. I had to guide her a little.”   
  
Hanayo groaned. “W-Well I guess she can get better. It was your first time together after all.”   
  
“I guess. You showed more passion when we did it.” Nico admitted softly. “Like you wanted to make me feel...ugh, sorry. I’m getting caught up in the past.”   
  
“What? Tell me…”   
  
“It wasn’t just your feelings...I felt your soul, your desire, sorrow…even a bite from you can make me feel so much emotionally. Argh, I shouldn't be saying this. I just...I don’t know if Hisa can give me what I want. I’m ready for commitment, Hanayo. Something more than a fling or a brief relationship. ”   
  
Hanayo sighed softly, pushing herself further up in the bed. “Just give her a chance, Nico-chan. If you don’t think the relationship is going anywhere maybe you could...start over. Find someone else. Look at Nozomi and Umi, they’re dating other people again after breaking up with Eli and Honoka. Just give Hisa some time. She might surprise you.”   
  
“Maybe I’ve just had my one love.” Nico mumbled, her eyes downcast. “Maybe there’s nobody better out there for me.”   
  
Hanayo felt her chest tighten at the comment. “That’s not true, Nico-chan.”   
  
“I’m too difficult to be in a relationship with. I mean my lifestyle, my attitude...it would all drive a person crazy. I’m egotistical, uptight, clingy, a sexual assaulter. Nobody would ever want to propose to me…”   
  
“STOP it!” Hanayo’s loud exclamation echoed around the empty bedroom. She gritted her teeth, her eyes welling up with tears. “Just stop.”   
  
Nico blinked at Hanayo in confusion. She hadn’t meant to upset her. “Hanayo…”   
  
Hanayo’s eyes shifted to her drawer on her bedside table. She remembered holding the ring, telling Rin she was going to finally do it. And then everything had fallen apart. The rumors had swirled. Nico was getting more and more questions about her sexuality in Europe and Hanayo had to end it so Nico could destroy the rumors. It was the most difficult decision she’d ever had to make. To stop the rumors ruining Nico’s career.    
  
“Hanayo!” Nico said urgently.    
  
“I’m sorry, Nico.” Hanayo quickly dashed away her tears. “I’m here. What’s wrong?”   
  
“What’s wrong with you? Are you crying, Hanayo?” Nico demanded with a frown. “You can still talk to me. I’m...I’m still your best friend. Nico Nico Nii wants her favorite girl to smile so please lift your face and give me that shining happiness Nico adores.”   
  
Hanayo’s eyes flicked up to Nico. Despite the smile on Nico’s face, her eyes were dimmed with sadness. “STOP IT! Every time someone else is in tears you do this. Tell me how you feel right NOW. Don’t hide behind that damn smile.” Hanayo scowled in annoyance. “Just tell me what you’re thinking. Please, Nico.”   
  
“I don’t know what I’m thinking.” Nico whispered honestly. She looked to the boxes she could see on the screen and felt a sudden empty feeling overwhelm her. “The truth is I called because I’m missing you already. I’m calling you at this time of night because I was lying awake thinking you’re already at the airport, ready to leave. I was imagining that I could catch you like in one of those shoujo mangas or movies…”   
  
Hanayo bowed her head, tears prickling at her eyes. Sometimes she wished Nico would do that.    
  
“I’m being so selfish.” Nico said with a light laugh. “You already have someone and I’m talking about wanting to catch you and confess my undying love to you. To tell you that it never faded with every bad relationship I was in.”   
  
Hanayo scrubbed urgently at her damp eyes. “You’re in a good relationship now.” She said weakly. “You’re going to be happy, Nico-chan.”   
  
Nico’s shoulders slumped slightly. “Maybe you’re right.” She mumbled hesitantly, her eyes fixed to Hanayo. “I just wish you weren’t leaving. Again…”   
  
“After what you just said...do you really think you could move on if I was living here?” Hanayo looked up at the screen through teary eyes. “If we have to see each other every day?”   
  
Nico swallowed thickly and closed her eyes. “It would be better than not seeing you again.”   
  
“I’ll visi-”   
  
“I don’t want you to just VISIT!” Nico’s voice rose, her words shaky with anguish. “Once we started hanging out again everything felt...right.”   
  
“Is that why you’re wearing my old hoodie?”   
  
Nico clutched the hoodie closer. “It still smells of you. It makes me feel safe. Like you’re close.”   
  
Hanayo let out a slow breath. “Nico-chan...you can’t say things like that. It just makes all of this harder.”   
  
“I love you. And it’s not just words, Hanayo. I’m sorry but I just needed to tell you. It’s so hard for me to describe it but it’s more than just love. You just complete my heart. You just get me. Know me. I mean…” Nico gave a teary laugh. “Here I am telling you everything. I’m going to miss you so damn much. It feels like my heart is being ripped from my body again.”   
  
Hanayo took several shuddering breaths, trying to calm herself. “I’m marrying someone else.” She whispered, lifting her hand. She gently caressed Nico’s face on the screen of her phone with the tips of her fingers. “I need to tell you something too. I-I wanted it to be…”   
  
“Hanayo.” Nico interrupted, quickly wiping her tears. “I have to sleep. I have a really big scene tomorrow. I’m sorry I woke you.”   
  
“But I was trying to tell you…”   
  
“Goodnight, Hanayo.”    
  
“No, I…” Hanayo fell silent as Nico disappeared from her phone screen. The phone fell from her hand and she leaned forward, sobbing into her palms. It was for the best. She had to believe that.    
  
\----   
  
Kotori bit her lip to hold back a grin as she looked up at Maki. The doctor was straddling her thighs, naked from the waist up while Kotori lay flat on her back on the on call room bed, her skirt hitched up slightly. “You’re such a bad doctor…”   
  
“Bad in a good way?”   
  
“Gah!” Kotori gasped sharply. “Hands, hands!”   
  
Maki chuckled under her breath. “Remember doctors are very intimate with the human anatomy, Kotori.”   
  
Kotori grumbled under her breath, her cheeks turning red. “Don’t you need to go back to work?”   
  
“I’m on call. I don’t need to go back until someone sends for me.” Maki replied, tilting her head slightly as she brushed her fingers over the sensitive skin of Kotori’s inner thigh. She watched as her girlfriend shuddered, her eyes flicking shut for a moment.    
  
“I never knew you could be this...horny.” Kotori said, a little breathless as she stared up at Maki.    
  
Maki looked amused. “I’ve been holding back for a long time, Kotori. Remember, you were my first.”   
  
“I remember.” Kotori said with a slight smile. “I wish we’d done this sooner.”   
  
“Me too.” Maki said with a soft sigh. She supposed it wouldn’t do any good to think about their regrets. At least they were together now. Like they should be. She glanced at her phone, a sudden thought occuring to her. “How are you getting home? Should I call Eli?”   
  
Kotori groaned at the question. “Let’s go back to a few minutes ago. You worrying about me all of the time is so not sexy.”   
  
Maki pouted at the comment and shook her head. “We’re talking about it later.”   
  
“If you say so, Maki-cha-” Kotori was cut off as the door across the room swung open. She froze in place, her eyes wide as she stared at the newcomer to the room.    
  
Maki scrambled off Kotori with a yelp, grabbing her shirt and holding it to her bare chest. “S-Seiko!”   
  
“Seriously, Nishikino?” Seiko asked, having barely managed to get past her own shock at seeing the two of them. “In the on call room? I know your dad owns the hospital but this is ridiculous. Don’t you have a house?”   
  
“We all do it in here, Yamada. Give me a break.” Maki said with a scoff. “Or is this because I’m gay?”   
  
“Maybe it is. You’re not exactly normal.” Seiko scowled irritably at Maki who merely glared back at her. She cast a scathing look at Kotori too. “You might want to fix your skirt before someone walks past.”   
  
Kotori quickly did as she was told, fixing her skirt before she scrambled into a sitting position, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.    
  
Maki growled in annoyance at the fact that Seiko was intentionally making Kotori feel uncomfortable. “Can you leave now?”   
  
Seiko smirked and crossed her arms. “So I heard that your friend Honoka-san got a boyfriend.”   
  
“They broke up.” Maki said with an annoyed huff as she tugged her shirt back on without exposing herself.     
  
“Ah so she’s still seeing the blonde?” Seiko said with a knowing laugh. “It’s not like anyone believed her about dating that guy anyway.”   
  
Maki gritted her teeth. “What the hell would you know about it?”   
  
“Nothing. Nothing at all.”   
  
There was something about the smug look on Seiko’s face that said otherwise and Maki shot up from the bed, storming toward Seiko. She grabbed her shoulder and shoved her back against the wall.    
  
“M-Maki-chan!” Kotori exclaimed in alarm.   
  
“You did it!” Maki growled furiously. “You fucking outed her, didn’t you?”   
  
Seiko didn’t look at all intimidated. In fact she looked mostly amused by Maki’s response. “So what if I did? What are you going to do about it?”   
  
“They’re my  _ friends! _ If you think I’m going to let you get away with this you’re wrong.” Maki vowed angrily, her grip on Seiko’s shoulder tightening to the point where Seiko winced in pain.    
  
“Kind of hurting me there, Nishikino.”   
  
Maki chuckled darkly. “If you think this hurts, just wait…”   
  
Kotori felt her heart plumett in her chest at the response. Somewhere deep in her memory she remembered being told the same thing. She distantly remembered waking up for a moment during Nijima’s attack, sobbing with pain.    
  
_ “If you think this hurts, you won’t like what’s coming next.’ _ _   
_ _   
_ “Maki-chan, stop it!” Kotori cried out loudly, burying her head in her hands as tears slid from her eyes. “Stop it, stop…”   
  
Maki turned to gape at Kotori, giving Seiko enough time to slip away and leave the room, shutting the door behind her. “Kotori!” She finally remembered to move and walked over to Kotori, crouching down on the bed next to her. “Shit, I-I’m sorry.”   
  
Kotori heard and felt a sharp sob tear it’s way from her throat as Maki carefully hugged her.    
  
“Kotori, I’m sorry.” Maki said again, her voice soft. She swallowed against the lump in her throat. She should have known better than to raise her voice around Kotori but she had just snapped. “I’m so sorry.”   
  
Kotori gripped weakly at the front of Maki’s scrub top and gave a nod of her head but she couldn’t bring herself to speak.    
\----   
  
Raven closed the door behind him as he entered the house he shared with Hanayo and Itsuki. He wasn’t expecting to see Itsuki there. He knew she would be with her girlfriend that night rather than returning home. He took a couple of steps forward before he froze at the sound of banging coming from upstairs. Like things were being thrown around.    
  
He quickly sprinted up to the second floor, forgetting to even remove his jacket and shoes. He hurried to his bedroom where the sound was coming from only to stop in the doorway when he found Hanayo frantically emptying boxes. “Hanayo?!”   
  
“I can’t find it! I know I had it here somewhere and I CAN’T FIND IT!” Hanayo picked up another box, frantically gripping the opening to tear it apart. The force she opened the box with caused her to drop it, sending the contents flying.    
  
Raven took a hesitant step into the bedroom. “Hanayo.”   
  
“I know I had it!” Hanayo sobbed. She turned to him as he reached her, frantically gripping the front of his jacket. “You packed in here, right?! Did you go through my drawers?!”   
  
Raven gently gripped Hanayo’s wrists, drawing her hands away from him. “Hanayo, I…”    
  
“You did go through them?!” Hanayo exclaimed, her teary eyes wide. “I said I would do my side on my own.”   
  
“You didn’t say that. I would remember if you had.” Raven said gently, shaking his head. “What are you looking for? I’ll help you find it.”   
  
“A-A ring.” Hanayo stuttered tearfully. “It’s gold with rubies and diamonds. It has an inscription… _ your smile makes my day shine.  Be my only happiness and I’ll be yours.” _   
  
Raven stepped past Hanayo, walking to the smaller box that was partially under the bed. He opened it carefully and took out the small box, offering it to Hanayo. “This?”   
  
Hanayo took the ring from him, opening the box to make sure it was still there. Seeing it was, she closed the box and held it close to her chest. “I thought I lost it.”   
  
Raven rose to his feet, awkwardly watching Hanayo cry softly as she held the ring close. He didn’t reach out, figuring she didn’t want the comfort. “Who knows about that?”   
  
“Rin and Nozomi.” Hanayo replied tearfully, looking up at him. “Raven, I’m sorry. I know I should have told you but…”   
  
“You didn’t have to tell me anything you didn’t want me to know.” Raven said, shaking his head. He looked at the ring in her hand. “So you were thinking about marrying her, huh?”   
  
Hanayo nodded silently.    
  
“And now…?”   
  
“Now I’m…” Hanayo rubbed away her tears. “It’s in the past. I know that, I just don’t want to lose this...this last piece.”   
  
“Is it?”   
  
“I love her.” Hanayo blurted out before she could stop herself. “And Hisa is screwing up all of her chances. She doesn’t deserve her if all she’s doing is hurting he-”   
  
“That’s not Hisa’s fault.” Raven interrupted, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face. “She hasn’t been anything but considerate.”   
  
“TOO CONSIDERATE!”   
  
“Too…?” Raven scoffed and shook his head. “How can she be TOO considerate? She’s trying to do what’s best. Jumping into bed with someone isn’t going to fix all of their problems.”   
  
Hanayo growled in anger. “You wouldn’t understand. Nico-chan needs attention. She needs to feel loved. Hisa can’t do that for her.”   
  
Raven stared at Hanayo for a long moment before he moved past her toward the door.    
  
“Where are you going?” Hanayo asked, turning to keep her eyes on him.    
  
“To talk to Hisa.” Raven answered, pausing in the doorway. “She needs to know that she needs to back away from this.”   
  
“What? But Nico…”   
  
“Not everything is about her, Hanayo!” Raven exclaimed loudly. “Other people are involved in this. It’s not all about Nico. What about Hisa? She really liked her. What about…” he trailed off, just short of asking about himself.    
  
“You’re right. But she’s my best friend and she deserves a happy ending like the rest of us.”   
  
“I’m going out. You can...decide what you want to do later.” Raven said meekly, his shoulders slumped. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”   
  
“Tomorrow? But…?” Hanayo was about to ask him where he’d be spending the night but he was already gone, walking down the hallway away from her.    
  
\----   
  
Hanayo stepped toward Nico’s apartment door, lifting her hand to knock. She paused, gritting her teeth and lowered her hand slightly. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea. Nico probably wouldn’t want to see her. She would probably want to her to stay far away from her. She couldn’t stay away though. She lifted her hand and knocked with a confidence she didn’t feel.    
  
A few seconds passed before the door opened to reveal Nico standing there, her hair down and slightly unkempt but dazzling nonetheless.   
  
“Hanayo.” Nico said, wide eyed with surprise. “W-What are you doing here?”   
  
Hanayo shrugged slightly, managing a watery smile. “I wanted to see you. I needed to see you before I…” She cleared her throat roughly. “Before I go.”   
  
Nico reached forward and took Hanayo’s hand, tugging her into the apartment. She closed the door behind her, frowning. “Are you okay?”   
  
“I-I had a fight with Raven.” Hanayo half-lied. That wasn’t the only reason she was upset or even the main reason but it was one of them. She wiped at her eyes. “It doesn’t matter.”   
  
Nico paused, remembering what Hisa had said to her. “Hey, it’ll be alri-”   
  
Hanayo shrunk back against the door as Nico reached for her. “Don’t you dare try to make me feel better! I came here because I wanted to see you. And know what you’re feeling…”   
  
Nico glanced down at the floor. “Hisa left me.”   
  
“WHAT?!”   
  
“She thought I was using her for sex. I told her what it meant to me and then we got into a fight.” Nico’s eyes flitted up to Hanayo’s. “About you. She was angry you had sex with me!”   
  
“I MADE LOVE TO YOU!” Hanayo exclaimed loudly, annoyance flitting across her face. “We were dating for three years. What the hell…?”   
  
Nico’s eyes welled up with tears as she stepped forward. “Hanayo...I’m so sorry.”   
  
“Wha…?!” Hanayo began to question Nico’s apology but stopped when the girl in question interrupted her with a hard kiss.    
  
“I want to be selfish.” Nico whispered against Hanayo’s lips. “I don’t care anymore. Please make love to me. I love you, I miss you so much. Your laugh, your smile, your confidence, your kindness. I just want to be able to love you and not be afraid anymore. I would come out for you, Hanayo. I would.”   
  
Hanayo gritted her teeth and looked away, tears sliding freely from her eyes. “I miss you too. Your smile, your sparkling eyes, your ability to make children happy, your cooking, how much of a hard worker you are, your humor...and most of all, your heart of gold.”   
  
Nico frowned. “My heart of gold. I’m nothing but a sexua-”   
  
Hanayo took Nico’s face in her hands and kissed her, pressing herself close to the startled model as she did so. She felt Nico’s arms go around her and melted into the familiar warmth. She could barely bring herself to comprehend what she was going to be leaving behind.    
  
“I love you.” She mumbled against Nico’s lips between passionate kisses as her hands slid under Nico’s shirt. She felt and heard Nico tug down the zip of the light black jacket she had tugged on on her way out earlier.    
  
Nico slid the jacket from Hanayo’s shoulders, her lips moving to the girl’s neck. “I’m going to make love to you.” She mumbled, kissing and nipping at Hanayo’s skin. “Make you feel warm and special because you should always feel that way... _ ma amour _ .”   
  
Hanayo gasped softly, her eyes flitting closed as she gripped onto Nico harder. “Nico-chan.” She felt Nico back her up to the door and then hands slid to the back of her legs. She yelped as Nico picked her up. “W-What the…? How?!”   
  
“Hey, I’m not that scrawny twenty one year old anymore.” Nico said as Hanayo’s arms went around her neck. She leaned up, kissing Hanayo deeply once more. She didn’t know how long the moment was going to last so she was going to make the most of it while she still could.    
  
Hanayo kissed Nico back without hesitation, sliding her fingers into the model’s wavy hair.    
  
Hanayo drew away from Nico after a moment, slightly breathless as she looked down into Nico’s shrouded eyes. “ _ Sono tua _ , Nico.”    
  
Nico felt her breath hitch at the words and emotion welled up in her chest. Blinking back tears, she smiled softly at the sentiment. “I meant what I said before. I want you to stay.”   
  
“All night?” Hanayo asked, running her fingers through Nico’s hair.    
  
“That too.” Nico’s smile faltered slightly but she quickly pasted it back into place. “I don’t want you to leave yet.”   
  
“I’ll stay if you want me to.” Hanayo whispered.    
  
Nico felt her heart lurch at the comment but she knew Hanayo didn’t mean it in the way she wanted her to. She stumbled toward the bedroom with Hanayo still in her arms and kicked the door open. She set Hanayo down on the bed and leaned forward, kissing her shoulder.    
  
Hanayo let Nico pull off her shirt before she lightly tugged Nico to her, their lips meeting. As she sunk back down onto her back, taking Nico with her, her worries seemed to fade, her thought focusing on the one person who made her feel whole.    
  
\----   
  
“You don’t have to come every day you know.” Honoka said, smiling at Eli as she walked past her. She saw Eli turn to walk beside her as she headed down the hallway to the dressing room she was sharing with Nico. “Besides that was probably a little awkward for you, huh?”   
  
“A little. It’s not like I want to see you kiss anyone else.” Eli said as she followed along beside Honoka. “Were you thinking of me when you kissed him?”   
  
“Of course I was. Who do you think I was thinking of? My ‘ex’? Anyway, Kaoru-kun told me he has a girlfriend. He was probably thinking about her too.” Honoka said with a giggle.    
  
Eli frowned slightly at that. “So you two are...friends or something?”   
  
“I guess. Why?” Honoka rolled her eyes at Eli as the blonde continued to frown. “There’s no need to be jealous. It’s just kissing. It’s not even real.”   
  
“Right.”   
  
Honoka sighed. “This is why I told you not to come. You don’t understand this.” She paused to let them both inside her dressing room. “It doesn’t mean anything unless it’s with you.”   
  
Eli hummed slightly in response and Honoka groaned.    
  
“Eli-senpai…”   
  
Behind them, Kotori and Maki trailed after Nico down the corridor.    
  
Kotori watched Nico’s back with a frown. “Is it just me or did Nico-chan act more...real than she should have? Maki-chan, I think those tears were real.”   
  
Maki glanced at Kotori. “Her and Hisa were having a problem with their...whatever it was.”   
  
“Oh no. I hope they don’t break up.” Kotori fretted nervously. “Maki-chan, go talk to her!”   
  
“Me?! Why me?!”   
  
“She’s your best friend! Well...more like a sibling but you know what I mean.” Kotori exclaimed in a whisper so Nico couldn’t hear. “I would but me and Nico-chan are still a little...awkward. Please?”   
  
“Fine, fine.” Maki sighed and rolled her eyes. “But only because you asked me to.”   
  
“Thank you.” Kotori kissed Maki quickly. “I’ll see you soon.”   
  
“Wait, where are you going?” Maki grasped Kotori’s hand as her girlfriend tried to walk away. “You can’t go home alone.”   
  
“Right, um…” Kotori bit her lip. “I’ll call my mom. Don’t worry, Maki-chan.”   
  
Maki’s grip tightened on Kotori’s hand. “I always worry about you. If you wait for me, I can take you home.”   
  
Kotori glanced around before she kissed Maki once more, letting her lips linger for a moment this time. “I love you.”   
  
Maki smiled goofily at the soft comment. “I love you too.”   
  
“And I’ll see you at home.” Kotori said, letting go of Maki’s hand. She raised her hand in a wave as she turned to walk away from her girlfriend.    
  
Maki started after Kotori for a moment, in a daze before she realized that people were staring at her. She crossed her arms, blushing before she walked into Nico and Honoka’s dressing room. She found Honoka sitting on the small couch across the room with Eli, trying to talk to the slightly spaced out blonde while Nico had slumped into her seat at her dresser. She was leaning forward, her fingers threaded into her dark hair.    
  
Maki got closer to Nico, noticing she was taking several deep breaths. She glanced sidelong at the bickering couple and rolled her eyes. Clearly they weren’t going to be of much help. “Hey, Nico?”   
  
“Hmm?” Nico hummed without looking up.    
  
“You okay?”   
  
“No.” Nico said softly. She looked up, noticing that Honoka had turned to look at her in concern. “Guys, I really screwed up. Like really badly.”   
  
Eli frowned. “Please don’t tell me you actually…”   
  
“WHAT DO YOU THINK?!” Nico cried out in frustration. She winced as Maki tugged at the collar of her turtleneck.    
  
“ARE THOSE NEW?!” Eli gawked.   
  
Nico indignantly slapped Maki’s hand away. “Don’t pull at my sweater. And I don’t regret it.”   
  
“I told her this was gonna happen.” Eli growled in annoyance. “I knew you two were like me and Honoka, it was fucking obvious!”   
  
“We’re NOT like you and HONOKA!”    
  
Maki shook her head. “Well clearly you’re not just friends if…”   
  
“Maki-chan, stop.” Honoka stood up, frowning at the redhead. It was clear that Nico was upset. “Leave her alone.”   
  
“What? Eli agrees with me!”   
  
“Then Eli-senpai should be more sensitive too.” Honoka turned to Nico, worry written across her face. “Nico-chan, what did you mean? When you said you weren’t like me and Eli-senpai.”   
  
“I told her that what she was thinking is bullshit.” Nico said, trying to fight back the tears that threatened. “She’s leaving tomorrow for Kumamoto. And I’m not...we’re not going to see each other as much. Maybe not ever...”   
  
“Hanayo wouldn’t have cheated on her fiance if she didn’t want to be with you, Nico-chan.” Honoka said seriously, taking a step closer to Nico. “How you feel now is just how I felt when Eli-senpai cheated on Nozomi-chan because of me. I thought maybe I was ruining everything, that she would be better off without me…”   
  
Nico gritted her teeth. “But she’s leaving tomorrow.”   
  
“Hanayo has been waiting for you to make a move since you separated.” Maki advised softly, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “Well that’s what Rin told me.”   
  
Nico shook her head. “She’s leaving. She’s getting married. I’m not going to ruin her life just because I...just because…” She paused for a moment before letting out a soft breath. “It’s better for her if I just let her go.”   
  
“Well it’s not like she was going to wait for you to propose to her forever, you know.” Maki said pointedly, narrowing her eyes at Nico.    
  
“What?” Nico froze at the accusation. “How did...how did you know I was gonna propose? I never told ANYONE that!”   
  
“You were?” Maki raised an eyebrow. Finally she let out a laugh of disbelief. “You know, she was going to too. She had a ring and everything...according to Rin.”   
  
Nico’s eyes widened and she felt her knees buckle. “W-What?!” Her hand went to her mouth, tears she’d previously managed to hold back forming and falling.    
  
“Nico-chan.” Honoka stepped forward and tentatively hugged the crying model. “You should go after her. It’s fate. Destiny.”   
  
Nico didn’t answer though she did hug Honoka back, sobbing into her shoulder. She couldn’t believe how stupid she had been. She should have put Hanayo first before.    
  
\----   
  
Hanayo walked back into her house, expecting to find it empty but instead found Hisa sitting on the couch, browsing through her phone. She sighed as she entered the room. “I didn’t know you were coming over, Hisa-chan.”   
  
“It was a spur of the moment decision. I’m helping Raven move some boxes.” Hisa replied, glancing briefly up at Hanayo with a hint of disdain.  She couldn’t help but feel a bit angry with Hanayo. She had really liked Nico.    
  
Hanayo gritted her teeth as Hisa fell silent. Nico had told her everything Hisa had said of course. “Nico-chan told me what happened with the two of you.”   
  
“She did?” Hisa crossed her arms in front of a her chest. “Then you know why we broke up.”   
  
“Because you’re too threatened by an ex to see how lucky you were to have Nico-chan?” Hanayo scowled.    
  
Hisa let out a bitter laugh. “You even talk like you’re still in love with her…”   
  
“Why would you accuse her of using you for sex?!” Hanayo demanded angrily. “That’s the stupidest thing anyone could do.”   
  
“She  _ was _ . She wanted me to sleep with her so she’d feel wanted. How is that not using me for sex?” Hisa shook her head in exasperation. “She didn’t care how I felt about it. Or if I was ready.”   
  
“I don’t believe you.” Hanayo growled. “That doesn’t sound like Nico. Not the Nico-chan I know.”   
  
“And which Nico-chan is that?” Hisa asked mockingly as she got to her feet. “The one that’s clearly still in love with you? Like you are with her.”   
  
“We’re not…”   
  
“YOU ARE!” Hisa yelled, her voice echoing around the room. She pointed at Hanayo’s neck. “You can’t tell me that wasn’t her.”   
  
Hanayo slapped her hand over the marks on her neck, her face turning red, both from embarrassment and anger. “You don’t know what you’re talking about!”   
  
Hisa stepped forward, grabbing Hanayo’s jacket and yanked it down. She could easily see red lines where Hanayo’s tank top didn’t cover her back. “Clearly those scratches on your back are from someone else!”   
  
“Hisa, get the hell off me!” Hanayo shoved hard at Hisa’s chest, sending her stumbling back a step. “It’s not your business.”   
  
“RAVEN is my business!” Hisa exclaimed loudly, her fists clenching. “You went to her, didn’t you? Holy shit and I thought it was gonna be the other way around. Guess she was right when she said she wouldn’t.”   
  
“I TOLD YOU she was serious about being with you but you screwed up because you didn’t understand her!” Hanayo retorted, tugging her jacket back up to her shoulders. “Then I tried to help you and you clearly weren’t ready!”   
  
“YOU DIDN’T ANSWER MY QUESTION!”   
  
“YES! OKAY?! YES, I SLEPT WITH NICO-CHAN!”   
  
“When?”   
  
Hanayo flinched at the sudden sound of Raven’s voice. She looked toward the stairs, her expression softening when she saw him standing at the bottom. “Raven, I…”   
  
“When?” Raven repeated quietly.    
  
“Last night.” Hanayo mumbled. She looked down, remembering the touches, the small words of love, the look in Nico’s eyes. The sadness and caring those eyes had shown. The cries when she’d touched Nico. It wasn’t just sex. It never was with them. “I don’t regret it. You should just...leave without me.”   
  
She slid the ring off of her finger. She’d taken it off when she went to Nico that night too. “I don’t deserve to be in this relationship if I can’t bare all of me to you.”   
  
Raven walked over to Hanayo and took the ring for her before he handed over a velvet box to Hanayo. “Found your ring again.” He said gruffly as Hanayo looked up at him. “Maybe you should give it to her.”   
  
Hisa’s eyes widened at the gesture but she didn’t say anything.    
  
“Thank you, Raven. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost it.” Hanayo brought the ring close to her chest. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to hurt you.”   
  
“It’s fine.” Raven lowered his hand to his side. “I’ll be leaving tomorrow. I hope this makes you happy, Hanayo. I mean it.”   
  
Hanayo wasn’t sure what to say so she settled for nodding as she tried to ignore Hisa glaring at her. “I-I should go. Can you have my stuff…?”   
  
“Put in storage like you said.” Raven finished for her. “Sure. I’ll drive it over later.”   
  
Hisa glanced between them in disbelief. “Are you fucking seri-”   
  
“Hisa, not now. Please.” Raven said, glancing at his sister. He watched as she gritted her teeth but nodded in response.    
  
“I’ll see y…” Hanayo cut herself off. “I mean...goodbye, Raven-kun. I-I’m sorry...again.”   
  
“Yeah.” Raven rasped. He turned away so he didn’t have to watch Hanayo walk away. He heard the door close though as she left and let out a sigh.    
  
“WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!” Hisa exploded in disbelief. “I would have thrown that goddamn ring in her face, the little…”   
  
“Hisa, stop!” Raven sighed, reaching up to rub his temples. “You should have seen her break down...and she put more effort into that ring than I did with hers. She loves Nico, I was just getting in the way. She deserves to be...”   
  
“She doesn’t deserve shit.” Hisa seethed, her hands still clenched at her sides. She watched as her brother took a shuddering breath. She felt herself calm at his evident distress. “I’m sorry, I just...hate seeing people treat you like this. And Itsuki too. You’re my brother, I’m just…”   
  
“Overprotective. I know.” Raven sat down on the last step. “I remember when Nakata-san was teasing me back in school. I must have been about ten. And you…”   
  
“Punched the little asshole in the nose.” Hisa finished as she walked over to him. She sat down on the step next to him. “I would do it again. For you or Itsuki.”   
  
“At least Itsuki found someone.” Raven said with a sigh, looking down at the ring in his hand. “Right?”   
  
“You will too.” Hisa assured him, resting her hand on her arm. “Someone way better. I promise.”   
  
Raven glanced at Hisa with a smile which quickly faded. “Crap, I forgot you got dumped too…Hisa, I…”   
  
“Forget about it.” Hisa said with a shake of her head. She swallowed against the lump that formed in her throat as she thought of Nico. “It wasn’t serious. I’m fine. Hey, look...you still have a spare plane ticket, right? I could come with you. I’m not doing anything here. And Itsuki is fine with her new girlfriend. Maybe it would do be some good to get away for a while...and do you some good to not be alone. Besides, this way I can make sure I approve of your girlfriends.”   
  
“Likewise.” Raven said brightly as he got to his feet. “You have to help me finish packing though. If you want the plane ticket for free.”   
  
Hisa groaned in exasperation. “Fine.”   
\----   
  
Honoka glanced over at Eli as her girlfriend tugged back the covers of the bed to get in next to her. “You’ve been quiet tonight.” She remarked thoughtfully.    
  
Eli’s brow furrowed as she glanced over at Honoka. “It’s nothing. I’m fine.”   
  
“You seemed angry with Nico-chan today too.” Honoka pressed gently. She didn’t want to overstep but she wanted to know what was going on with Eli. “Was it because of what happened before that? About Kauro-kun?”   
  
“I just wish we weren’t all so fucked up.” Eli lied, tugging her blankets over her lap. She stared down at her hands, frowning. “Not you or me, just...how we hurt people when we want to be selfish. Nico has never been that selfish despite her self absorbed attitude in high school, you know?”   
  
“Nico does need to be more selfish.” Honoka agreed confidently. “But I know that’s not what you were mad about. It was the kissing, wasn’t it?”   
  
Eli let out a sigh, her shoulders slumping. “I know it’s your job. But is it so wrong that I don’t like to see you kissing other people?”   
  
“No.” Honoka said honestly, shaking her head. “I never liked it when you kissed Nozomi-chan in front of me. I always thought that I should be in her place. That it should be me you were kissing.”   
  
Eli was silent for a moment before she spoke again. “It’s not the same. I loved Nozomi, even if...even if she didn’t love me as much. Ugh, damn it.”   
  
“Eli-senpai.” Honoka watched as Eli took a shuddering breath, her eyes welling up with tears. She reached around her neck and took off her necklace before she slid the ring from it. She put it on her own finger. “I love you. I love you more than anything, Eli-senpai.”   
  
Eli’s lower lip trembled as she looked at the ring. “You’ll have to take it off when you go back to work. It’ll be the same as before, everyone’s going to think you’re single.”   
  
“There’s…” Honoka hesitated for a moment. She knew Eli was right. “I’m sorry. I can’t do anything about that. But it doesn’t matter what everyone else thinks. The only thing that matters is what we know. What are you so worried about?”   
  
“I’m scared.” Eli admitted raspily, the tears that had been welling in her eyes finally spilling over. She quickly wiped them from her cheeks. “That you might change your mind again.”   
  
“It’s not going to happen.” Honoka said firmly, grabbing Eli’s hand. She squeezed it, causing Eli to look at her. “It’s not, okay? I don’t want to be with anyone else. I was stupid before. I should have realized you were the only person for me. I’m not choosing anyone but you, Eli-senpai. Believe me.”   
  
Eli hesitated for a moment before she shakily nodded in response.    
  
Honoka breathed a sigh of relief and move forward, kissing Eli hard. “I love you. And I want to be with you. Only you.”   
  
“I love you too.” Eli breathed before she kissed Honoka again. She moved closer and wrapped her arms around Honoka’s neck, the two of them falling to the mattress together.    
\----   
  
Nico couldn’t sleep. She had been tossing and turning for the past hour, trying to doze off but she couldn’t. It didn’t help that her mind was racing with thoughts about what was going to happen the next day. As much as she tried to think about something else, she simply couldn’t.    
  
She was still nowhere close to falling asleep when her phone rang thirty minutes later. She fumbled for it on her nightstand, sitting up while she answered and pressing it to her ear without checking who it was. “Hello?”   
  
She heard a shuddering breath on the other end of the line followed by someone whispering her name. “Nico-chan.”   
  
“Hanayo?” Nico’s eyes widened fully, her attention fully focused on the conversation now. She reached over to turn on the small lamp she kept next to her bed. “I didn’t think you’d call me again before you left.”   
  
“Well you know how I am.” Hanayo gave a slightly emotional laugh. “Sorry. I know it’s late. I just wanted to hear your voice.”   
  
Nico felt her heart constrict in her chest. “Are you okay?”   
  
“Not really.” Hanayo admitted, her voice slightly choked. “I’m not moving to Kumamoto anymore. I wanted to tell you.”   
  
“You’re staying?” Nico exclaimed, relief seeping into her voice.    
  
“No, I’m not...staying. I’m moving back to Europe.”   
  
“WHAT?!” Nico felt like the breath had been knocked from her lungs. “W-Why?!”   
  
“I called off the engagement. In front of Hisa.” Hanayo said, audibly sniffling. “It wasn’t working out and he deserves better than me.”   
  
Nico swallowed convulsively. She didn’t know what to say to that. “Do you...do you want to come over?”   
  
“We both know that’s a terrible idea.” Hanayo said, her voice still thick with tears.    
  
“I just mean...you sound upset.” Nico gripped the phone tighter. “Do you have to leave so soon?”   
  
“I want to get away from everything. I want to start afresh. I have to go now or I’m afraid I might never do it.”   
  
Nico felt her eyes mist with tears. “Europe is a long way. Will I...will I see you again?”   
  
“I don’t know, Nico-chan.” Hanayo said honestly.    
  
“Why are you doing this?!” Nico exclaimed, the idea of not seeing Hanayo again snapping the last of her self-control.   
  
“Because I don’t deserve ANYONE!”   
  
“I’m not letting you go, I-I…” Nico closed her eyes, gritting her teeth.    
  
“You what?”   
  
“I can’t imagine not seeing you anymore.” Nico said meekly, her shoulders slumping. Tears spilled down her cheeks for what felt the tenth time that day. “Not being able to talk to you.”   
  
“I can’t imagine not seeing you either.” Hanayo mumbled into the phone. “Maybe it’s for the best. You’re not going to be able to move on until I leave. Until I’m not an option, right?”   
  
Nico frowned, shaking her head. “I want you here.”   
  
“Me too.” Hanayo whispered before she took a deep breath. “I love you, Nico-chan. I’m sorry I called. I don’t want to hurt you, I just want to be honest.”   
  
“Hana-” Nico fell silent as the click on the other end of the line signalled the call had been ended. She got out of bed quickly, crossing to her dresser as she called Nozomi.    
  
“Do you know what time it is, Nicocchi?!”   
  
“Your girl toy has a motorcycle, right?” Nico asked as she quickly tugged on a pair of jeans with one hand.    
  
“Moped and she isn’t my girl toy. She’s my Spanish lover.” Nozomi said smugly.    
  
“Gross.” Nico scowled at the response. “Do you think she can give me a ride to the airport?”   
  
“Um...sure. But why?”   
  
“Hanayo.” Nico answered simply. “How early can she pick me up?”   
  
“Well it’s two in the morning now and she has work at six…” Nozomi said thoughtfully. “A couple of hours?”   
  
“Good. Hanayo’s flight is probably early.” Nico muttered irritably, glancing at her alarm clock. The red letters showed 2:14. She heard a foreign language in the background. “Oh good, she’s up.”   
  
“She’s cursing you.” Nozomi advised.    
  
“Like you can understand.” Nico said with a roll of her eyes as she used one hand to button her jeans.    
  
“She’s teaching me.”   
  
Nico heard the smirk in Nozomi’s voice. “Seriously. I don’t need to know that.”   
  
“Fumi, Nicocchi wants you to give her a ride.” Nozomi said. After a moment of silence she gave a soft laugh. “A reward? Think of it as getting two people who should already be married together.”   
  
“So is she gonna give me a ride?” Nico asked impatiently.    
  
“Yeah, yeah. She is. She’ll pick you up in a couple of hours.” Nozomi said, clearly rolling her eyes. “I hope this works out for you.”   
  
“Thanks, Nozomi.” Nico ended the call and let her hand fall to her side. She had two hours to kill now, she supposed.    
  
\----   
  
“You’re early.” Nico commented dryly as she opened the door to her apartment. She reached behind her, grabbing her jacket and stepped out of the door. She closed and locked it behind her.    
  
Fumiko shrugged. “Better to be early than late. Are you ready to go?”   
  
“More than ready.” Nico said apprehensively as she moved past Fumiko. Together the two of them headed down the stairs. “Hey, um...thanks for doing this. I know it’s kind of early.”   
  
“It’s fine.” Fumiko said with another shrug of her shoulders. “But you know I’m going to have to tell Nishikino-san about this.”   
  
“Huh?”   
  
“We are friends, Yazawa-san.” Fumiko said, raising an eyebrow.    
  
“So you have to tell her what I do?” Nico asked pointedly, mostly amused by Fumiko’s logic. “You’re not used to this friends thing, huh?”   
  
Fumiko blushed at the comment. “W-Well you two are friends. So she would worry about you, right?”   
  
“Yeah, we’re...not exactly that kind of friends.”   
  
Fumiko cringed. “Gross. Why would you even say that about someone you see as a sister?”   
  
Nico blinked at Fumiko as they left the building. “Forget I said anything. Let’s go.”   
  
“Get behind me then.” Fumiko climbed onto the bike, passing her helmet to Nico. “And put this on.”   
  
Nico put the helmet on, climbing up behind Fumiko. She awkwardly put her arms around Fumiko’s waist to hang onto her.    
  
“Hold on tight, mi amiga. We’ll be taking a shortcut of mine.” Fumiko warned as she started the bike.    
  
“Okay.” Nico hesitantly tightened her hold. As awkward as it felt she didn’t want to fall off of the bike. She needed to get to the airport in one piece.    
  
\----   
  
Nico stared intently at the entranceway to the waiting area, her plane ticket grasped in one hand and the other hand on the ring box in her pocket. She barely dared to blink, worried that she would miss Hanayo when the girl came through the doors. When she’d reached the airport she’d discovered that the plane wouldn’t be taking off for another two hours so she’d sat down and waited.    
  
Finally, with an hour to spare, Hanayo walked through the doors and Nico shot to her feet. “Hanayo!”   
  
Hanayo seemed to freeze at the sound of her name but her gaze eventually shifted toward Nico. “N-Nico-chan?” She hurried over, seemingly automatically. “W-What are you doing here? Wait...you’re not in incognito mode.”

  
“I don’t care. I needed to talk to you.” Nico said honestly. She reached out and grasped Hanayo’s hand. “I’m not letting you leave again. I told you.”   
  
“Nico-chan, I have to…”   
  
“I let you go before and I shouldn’t have.” Nico interrupted sharply. Her voice softened slightly after. “I-I love you, Hanayo. You’re the only person I want to be with. If you don’t want to stay here, I’ll come with you. I have my plane ticket already.”   
  
“KISS HER, NYA!”   
  
Nico’s eyes flitted up in time to see Rin tugging Hibiki into the waiting area. She growled in annoyance. “RIN, you idiot!”   
  
“Are you sure you mean it?” Hanayo asked, her eyes misting with tears. “You want me?”   
  
“I’m sure.” Nico chose that moment to take the ring box out of her pocket, popping it open. Her hands shook with nerves. “Hanayo, will you...will you marry me?”   
  
Hanayo gasped, her eyes filling with tears as her hand went to her mouth.    
  
“SAY YES, NYA!”   
  
“Rin, shut up!” Hibiki tugged at Rin’s arm.    
  
“What?” Rin protested with a pout. “Kayo-chin should say yes tho-” She was cut off as Hibiki kissed her to shut her up. “Mmph!”   
  
Nico huffed in annoyance. “I’m sorry about them. That wasn’t part of the plan. But...what do you think? About marrying me? We can um...you know, start a family and I was thinking of retiring anyway...besides I’m more interested in doing what Kei does now. Her work is fascinating and my life can be more private.”   
  
Hanayo sniffled softly, glancing between the ring in Nico’s hand and Nico’s face. “I don’t want to hold you ba-”   
  
“You don’t hold me back, you idiot. You...inspire me.” Nico felt her face turn red at the admission. “I want to be better because of you. You make me believe that I can do more and be more. And I love you, please just…”   
  
“Yes.”   
  
Nico trailed off, blinking in confusion. “What?”   
  
“Yes, I’ll marry you.” Hanayo said with a tearful smile. “But I’m still mad that you asked fir-”   
  
Nico cut Hanayo off by kissing her deeply, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. Hanayo kissed Nico back, holding her just as desperately.    
  
“SHE SAID YES, NYA!”   
  
Nico pulled back with a soft laugh. She couldn’t even bring herself to feel angry with Rin. All that mattered was that Hanayo had said yes. She shakily slid the ring onto Hanayo’s finger. “So are we going to Italy?”   
  
Hanayo shook her head and hugged Nico tightly. “Let’s go home, Nico-chan. I have something I want to give you too.”   
  
Nico smirked, raising an eyebrow.    
  
“Not that!” Hanayo gently swatted Nico’s arm. “I mean...not just that at least. Come on, I need to pick up my bags. Oh! But I’m selling the house and everything has been moved out...damn it.”   
  
“Are you kidding?” Nico squeezed Hanayo’s hand. “You’re coming home with me. I don’t want to waste any more time.”   
  
\-----   



End file.
